UAAP women’s basketball: UST seals No. 2

Photo from UAAP

ANTIPOLO—University of Santo Tomas locked up the No. 2 seed after slipping past Adamson, 57-53, in the UAAP Season 82 women’s basketball tournament Saturday at Ynares Center here.

Grace Irebu displayed her MVP form with 27 points and 20 rebounds to power the Tigresses to an 11-3 record to end their campaign in the elimination round.

It was a big win for UST but its head coach Haydee Ong was far from impressed knowing her players were capable of playing a much better game that that.

“Mixed emotions, I’m happy because we’re number two and we’ll have a twice to beat advantage, but not so happy and impressed with the way my team played today,” said Ong, whose team dominated the boards, 60-40.

“Grace saved us for another win today, with her monster performance.”

Irebu saved her best for last, scoring 13 points in the final frame, including a pair of key baskets that provided her team enough cushion to weather Adamson in the endgame.

The Lady Falcons, who have yet to secure a Final Four spot, still had a chance to send the game into overtime but Rose Ann Dampios misfired on a potential game-tying triple.

Dampios paced Adamson (8-5), which stayed in third with only a one-game lead over fourth-running Far Eastern University (7-6) in the standings, with a team-best 12 points while Mar Prado scattered 11 points, 12 rebounds and six steals.