UST, NU battle for women’s title

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

10 a.m. — UST vs UE (juniors’)

1 p.m. — NU vs UST (women’s)

Defending champion University of Santo Tomas (UST) and National University (NU) meet one last time to decide which team will reign as queen of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women’s basketball.

Game 3 of the best-of-three championship series erupts at 1 p.m.

Behind the heroics of Brigette Santos and rookie Karylle Sierba, the Growling Tigresses eked out a convincing 78-68 victory in Game 2 last Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena to keep their title-retention bid alive.

UST head coach Haydee Ong downplays the idea of the momentum shifting to their side.

The former women’s national team mentor believes the Tigresses and Lady Bulldogs are on equal footing heading into the rubber match.

“Last year we won the first game, then lost the second. I think, there’s no advantage or disadvantage between us and NU,” she said.

“We will just play harder to get Game 3. It’s all in our mindset that we’ll do our best to win another do-or-die game on Sunday.”

Ong will also rely on veterans Kent Pastrana, Eka Soriano and Tacky Tacatac, who is looking to bounce back from a scoreless outing in Game 2, to help UST retain its hold of the throne.

NU, on the other hand, is banking on Camille Clarin, Ann Pingol, Rookie of the Year Cielo Pagdulagan and Angel Surada to settle an unfinished business this time out.

The Lady Bulldogs aim to recover the hardware it lost last year for their eighth title overall.

Meanwhile, Game 2 of the boys’ junior high school title showdown between University of the East and UST tips off at 10 a.m.

The Tiger Cub crushed the rusty Junior Warriors, 98-84, in the series opener last Wednesday to get on the hilt of the best-of-three affair.

UST is looking to end a 23-year title drought.