Junior Tigresses pounce against Blue Eagles

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Girls Basketball Tournament Standings
NUNS 2-0
UST 2-0
DLSZ 0-2
Ateneo 0-2

Games Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre

8 a.m. – NUNS vs UE (Boys)
10 a.m. – UST vs Ateneo (Boys)
12 noon – DLSZ vs FEU-D (Boys)
2 p.m. – AdU vs UPIS (Boys)
4 p.m. – NUNS vs UST (Girls)

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas continued to assert its dominance, delivering a commanding 117-29 victory over Ateneo de Manila University to secure its second consecutive win in the UAAP Season 87 High School Girls’ Basketball Tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

With top scorer Rhiane Perez sidelined due to a minor ankle injury, Grachelle Boteros stepped up, leading the charge with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Barby Dajao also made a significant impact, recording a dominant double-double of 18 points and 17 rebounds, along with five steals and four assists.

This emphatic win sets the stage for UST’s highly anticipated showdown against the National University-Nazareth School on Thursday, February 6, at the same time and venue.

“What we want to do is—naguumpisa pa lang ang Ateneo ‘eh—we want them to have that feel of playing in the UAAP, although alam naman natin na nagsisimula pa lang sila. We want them to enjoy the game itself just like we do,” said Junior Growling Tigresses head coach Arensio Dysangco.

UST wasted no time asserting control, opening the game with a staggering 40-1 first-quarter performance. Ateneo’s lone point in the period came from a free throw by Matia Molina at the 8:29 mark.

By halftime, the Junior Growling Tigresses extended their lead to 71-6, forcing 26 turnovers while holding the Blue Eagles to a dismal 2-of-22 shooting. Ateneo’s only two field goals in the first half came from Tyler Templo—a three-pointer at the 7:35 mark and a jumper at the 4:07 mark of the second quarter.

Although UST eased up in the second half, Ateneo managed to score 23 points on 10-of-38 shooting. However, the damage had already been done, with UST’s first-half dominance proving insurmountable.

The Junior Growling Tigresses led by as many as 90 points, falling just six points short of breaking the UAAP girls’ basketball record for the largest winning margin, previously set by the NU Lady Bullpups on January 30.

Jannah Wencensalo contributed a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds, adding five steals and two assists. Giorgina Anonuevo chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and one assist, while Noelle Arciaga also posted 11 points, eight rebounds, and one assist.

Meanwhile, Ateneo dropped to 0-2, joining archrival De La Salle Zobel at the bottom of the four-team standings.

Templo led the Blue Eagles in the loss with 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Molina added nine points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

Ateneo will look to secure its first win when it faces fellow struggling team De La Salle Zobel on Sunday, February 9, at the same time and venue.


Fifth Game (Girls):

UST (117) - Boteros 19, Dajao 18, Wencenslao 15, Anonuevo 11, Arciaga 11, Floreindo 7, Petalcorin 6, Pinuela 6, Banate 6, Tambawan 6, Onate 5, Insoy 4, Villarin 2, Abrantes 1.

Ateneo (29) - Templo 10, Molina 9, Exconde 6, Bernardo 2, Lo 2, Doque 0, Pangilinan 0, Bacayo 0, Burdeos 0, Linaza 0, Gozum 0, Cacanindin 0, Lee 0.

Quarterscores: 45-1, 71-6, 102-16, 117-29.