NU Lady Bulldogs vs Ateneo Blue Eagles in UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Six-time defending champion National University earned its 98th straight victory, while University of Santo Tomas shared the early 2-0 lead as they dominated separate foes on Wednesday in the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament Tuesday at UST Quadricentennial Pavillion.
Ann Pingol delivered 17 points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists as NU routed Ateneo, 89-52, for its second win of the season.
Clarin sustained her fine play for the Lady Bulldogs with 14 points, three rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Annick Tiky was also instrumental with 13 points and eight boards, while Mikka Cacho also scored 13 to send the Blue Eagles to their first defeat.
“It’s always hard to play a team with such great talent like Ateneo. They got Kacey (Dela Rosa), (Jhazmin) Joson, and LJ Miranda,” said NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan. “Give credit to our girls for playing hard right from the start. Even in the middle game, when Ateneo made a run, they still stayed together and did not veer away from the system.”
Ateneo dropped to 1-1, despite Kacey Dela Rosa’s 24 points and 17 rebounds. The Blue Eagles shot 32.7-percent from the field and gave up 24 free points to NU from its 30 turnovers.
UST BEATS LA SALLE
UST’s Eka Soriano in the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball. –UAAP PHOTO
Meanwhile, Eka Soriano dropped a career-high 28 points to life UST past La Salle, 71-57, for the share of the early lead before facing defending champion NU on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Soriano shot four triples and tallied seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Nikki Villasin had 13 points, while Agatha Bron added eight markers and 10 boards.
Despite the big win, Tigresses coach Haydee Ong lamented their late game complacency as they let the Lady Archers trim their lead down to six, 56-50, with 5:45 left in the game before Soriano put on the finishing touches.
“We tend to relax if we have a big lead and we can’t do that when we face NU next, a powerhouse team. We have to play strong from start to finish,” Ong said. “Same mentality we approach every game. I just told the girls that we have to work harder than our opponents. We have to defend harder to outscore them.”
La Salle banked on Charmine Torres and Fina Tchuido, who had 12 points each with the latter also grabbing 19 rebounds. Joehanna Arciga had 11 points, eight rebounds, and three assists as well as they dropped to 1-1 before facing Ateneo also on Sunday.
UP ENDS SKID
Earlier, University of the Philippines earned its first win of the season after beating Adamson, 64-56, for the first time since Season 78 and snapped a seven-game losing streak dating back to 2019.
Kaye Pesquera led the Fighing Maroons with 15 points and five rebounds to improve to 1-1 before facing Far Eastern University, which vented its ire on University of the East, 62-50, on Saturday also at the Big Dome.
The Lady Tamaraws banked on Kyla Go’s 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Angel Obien had 13 points to deliver her team’s first win.
UE and Adamson, who both dropped to 0-2, clash for first win also on Saturday.