La Salle’s Lee Sario in the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament. –UAAP PHOTO
ANTIPOLO — Lee Sario delivered a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds to power La Salle past Adamson, 75-65, for the solo third seed in the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament on Saturday at Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Sario led the Lady Archers second-half surge to finish the first round with a 5-2 record, behind unbeaten National University and University of Santo Tomas, which dominated University of the Philippines, 82-61, earlier.
Besides Sario, Joehanna Arciga also posted a double-double of 15 points and 12 boards, while Charmine Torres and Fina Tchuido chipped in 11 markers apiece.
La Salle bounced back from a tough loss to NU last Wednesday.
Adamson fell to 2-5 despite the effort of Victoria Adeshina, who overcame a 1-of-9 first-half shooting to finish with 18 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block.
UST Growling Tigresses in the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament. –UAAP PHOTO
Meanwhile, Tacky Tacatac and Nikki Villasin joined hands to extend UST’s win streak to four after annihilating UP to finish second with a 6-1 record in the first round.
Tacatac unleashed 19 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while Villasin played her best game of the season so far, chipping in 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 19 minutes of action for the Tigresses.
“It’s all because of the hard work of the ladies of course,” said UST coach Haydee Ong. “Working together, relentless defense all throughout the first round, I think that brought us to where we are now in the standings having 6-1.”
“Now that we are in 6-1, I think we are in a better position now to enter the Final Four but of course, we need to work hard again in the second round because teams are scouting everybody else, Tacatac and Villasin. They know they’re the shooters of the team so hopefully, in the second round, we’ll perform better than in the first round,” she added.
Eka Soriano contributed 15 points, five steals, and four assists, while Brigette Santos added 10 points and eight rebounds.
UST dominated UP right from the get-go with a 21-6 spread off Joylyn Pangilinan’s triple early in the first quarter. Soriano capped the 21-point blowout, 82-61, after scoring a bucker in the final 2:16.
UP fell to 3-4 in the fifth place as Kaye Pesquera finished with 18 points, while Stiffany Larrosa added 13.
The Scores:
First Game:
UST 82 — Tacatac 19, Villasin 16, Soriano 15, Santos 10, Pangilinan 7, Bron 5, Ambos 4, Villapando 4, Dionisio 2, Serrano 0, Araza 0.
UP 61 — Pesquera 18, Larrosa 13, Bariquit 8, Tapawan 8, Domingo 5, Maw 3, Sanchez 2, Lozada 2, Gonzales 2, Jimenez 0, Sauz 0, Rivera 0, Vingno 0.
Quarters: 28-13, 43-28, 62-49, 82-61.
Second Game:
LA SALLE 75 — Sario 26, Arciga 15, Torres 11, Niantcho 11, Jimenez 5, Dalisay 3, Ahmed 2, Espinas 2, De La Paz 0, Binaohan 0.
ADAMSON 65 — Adeshina 18, Dampios 16, Aa. Alaba 12, Padilla 6, Ai. Alaba 4, Agojo 3, Flor 2, Meniano 2, Etang 2, Catulong 0, Ornopia 0, Carcallas 0, Tano 0, De La Cruz 0.
Quarters: 18-17, 39-31, 56-47, 75-65.