The DLSU Lady Archers were dealt a massive 105-56 blow at the hands of last season’s runners-up, the UST Golden Tigresses, in their UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament opener, yesterday, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Despite the blowout loss, Tricia Mendoza stepped up offensively, tallying 15 points, seven rebounds, and one assist, while Kyla Sunga and Mia Camba added 11 and six points, respectively.
Isioma Onianwa was hailed as the Player of the Game after posting a double-double with 15 points, 19 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block in their dominant win against the Lady Archers. Helping anchor the Tigresses in their victory were Ayesha Pescador and Breana Pineda, chipping in 12 points apiece.
Opening struggles
Determined to make a statement in their opening match, the Lady Archers gained quick possession as Aiesha Dizon knocked down a jumper for a brief 2-0 lead. UST’s Onianwa quickly answered inside to tie the game at 2-all. From there, the Thomasians dictated the pace, while the Taft-based squad struggled to establish momentum and failed to convert buckets. DLSU’s offense sputtered with rushed shots, turnovers, and missed opportunities, while UST pounced on every mistake. By the end of the first quarter, DLSU saw themselves trailing behind as the Golden Tigresses dominated a 15-point cushion, 25-10.
The Lady Archers sought to redeem themselves after their opening quarter struggles, primarily with Mendoza who attempted to spark a short-lived attack on the rim, one through the defenders, and delivered a clinical layup, 29-15. However, La Salle’s momentum was cut short as the Tigresses mounted a scoring run of their own, further extending their lead. Mendoza continued to show her steady game, drawing fouls and sinking flawless free throws to help the Lady Archers inch closer to the Golden Tigresses. Despite Mendoza’s offensive surge, the Green-and-White still struggled with their lackluster offense and were unable to contain the steady composure of UST, allowing them to convert efficiently. BJ Villarin’s smooth pass into a basket ended the second quarter, extending the Tigresses’ commanding lead at 56-35, and forcing DLSU to regroup at the break and find ways to counter UST’s commanding presence on both ends of the floor.
Chasing the trap
In the chase to close the margin, the Lady Archers rotated the ball to crack UST’s defense. Sunga took charge of the weary DLSU squad with aggressive drive attempts on offense, trimming the deficit briefly to 58-35. However, the Growling Tigresses halted Lady Archers’ signs of life as Onianwa dropped a short jumper and Maglupay converted a swift layup to extend UST’s lead into a staggering one at 64-39. Rekindling the lost rhythm, Dizon chipped in two, followed by a basket from Villarin, as La Salle tried to inch closer at 69-45. Still, the Thomasians capitalized on Green-and-White’s lack of presence in the paint and dominated the offensive boards.
Danganan responded quickly, forcing a timeout from La Salle after scoring an easy five points to further widen the deficit, 76-45. The third quarter painted a clear disparity in offensive and defensive execution as the Lady Archers struggled to capitalize on Tigresses’ miscues, 80-45.
The green shirts tried to slow down the tempo in the final quarter, but the Tigresses stayed aggressive for every loose ball. Despite free throw opportunities and UST’s powerhouse, Maglupay, sitting out, DLSU failed to take advantage and still trailed at 84-50. In resilience, Kyla Go flaunted a sidestep to chip away at the daunting 86-52 margin. Beside her, Mendoza made do from the free throw line, narrowing the gap to 88-53. At this point, the Tigresses were fully unleashed as they preyed on the Lady Archers with scoring flow from rebounds and beyond the arc, extending the lead to 91-54. Riding the momentum, Pescador, Ampos, and the rest of the España-based squad remained firm on defense and aggressive on offense, outplaying La Salle, 95-54.
With the rim proving elusive for Go, Dahaw pushed the white shirts into triple digits and left the Animo squad trailing, 100-54. In the closing minutes, despite the late efforts of Camba and Mendoza, Pineda punctuated the Tigresses’ 105-56 rout while the Lasallians could only resign to the lopsided loss.
The Green-and-White hopes to bounce back and break into the winning column as they prepare to face the NU Lady Bulldogs this Wednesday, October 1, at 7 pm, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The Scores:
DLSU 56 – Mendoza 15, Sunga 11, Camba 7, Dizon 6, Villarin 6, Nosifat 4, Go 3, Anastacio 2, Lubrico 2, Dela Paz 0, Delos Reyes 0, Villapando 0
UST 105 – Onianwa 15, Pescador 12, Pineda 11, Pestrana 11, Santos 11, Serbia 10, Maglupay 8, Dajao 8, C. Danganan 7, Soriano 5, Ambos 4, McAlary 2, K. Danganan 0, Bron, Serrano 0, Relliquette 0
Quarter Scores: 10-25, 35-56, 45-80, 56-105
