UST suprises La Salle in Dickies Cup

MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas brought down reigning UAAP titlist La Salle to its knees, 71-63, in the opening of the 3rd Pilipinas Chinese Amateur Basketball League (PCABL) Dickies Women’s Cup held over the weekend at CEU Lumera Tower gym in Legarda, Manila.

With Lore Rivera anchoring the team’s solid defensive wall and patient ball movement, the Tigresses surprisingly dominated the game on the way to posting the first upset in the tournament.

Held to just two points in the first two quarters, Rivera went berserk in the payoff period where she scattered 10 points that kept the Lady Archers at bay. She was named Dickies Best Player.

Jhen Angeles finished with 12 markers and Kim Reyes chipped in 11 for UST.

Equally impressive was Centro Escolar University, which dumped many-time UAAP champion Far Eastern University, 75-54, through the inspired plays of Maryann Doloque in the tournament also sponsored by Smart Telecom, Jumbo Plastic Linoleum, Power House, CW Home Depot, Dickies Underwear and Hapee Toothpaste.

College of St. Benilde, last year’s runner-up, underscored its title aspiration with an 88-53 drubbing of newcomer Fatima.