University of Santo Tomas (UST) may be the defending champion, but dealing with an unbeaten, redemption-seeking National University (NU) in the best-of-three finals has put the Tigresses as the overwhelming underdogs.

Still, head coach Haydee Ong and the rest of her UST crew are unfazed despite the great odds with talented and passionate leader Kent Pastrana at the helm.

Ong is banking on the Tigresses star to carry the team when the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women’s basketball finals rematch fires off on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“She’s a heaven-sent to us, right?” Ong said of Pastrana after powering UST back into the championship round with a near triple-double.

Pastrana, a runner in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race this season, submitted 23 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and a block in the Tigresses’ 71-59 drubbing of Adamson University in the knockout final stage of the stepladder semifinals Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“I guess it will be long before another talent like her will emerge in the UAAP — just like (back-to-back MVP) Kacey Dela Rosa. These kinds of athletes are truly heaven-sent. Ito hulog din ng Diyos sa akin ‘to e,” Ong said of her prized cager.

“Actually, all my players in UST. Every time I do recruitment, I’m just blessed they chose to go to UST.”