Brigette Santos once again delivered a crucial Game 2 performance to help UST force a winner-take-all finale against NU in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball Finals.
Brigette Santos once again proved to be UST’s Game 2 spark, delivering a standout performance to push the Growling Tigresses past the NU Lady Bulldogs, 95–70, in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball Finals on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
A year after erupting for a career-high 27 points in Game 2 of the Season 87 Finals, Santos again rose to the moment.
This time, she finished with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, seven assists, and four steals, orchestrating UST’s offense and setting the tone defensively as the Tigresses kept their title hopes alive.
“Siguro ‘yung eagerness nga talaga na hindi kami magpapatalo. Siyempre alam namin na defending champion sila,” Santos said during the post-game press conference.
“Natalo namin sila elimination so wala na kami dapat ikatakot eh. So nasa amin yun, o kalaban lang talaga namin yung sarili na. So that's it lang.”
Bouncing back after their first loss in the season
Entering the Finals, the Growling Tigresses completed a historic elimination round sweep with a 14-0 record.
But come Game 1, it was the Lady Bulldogs that showed their hunger to defend the crown—something that Santos was quick to admit.
“Malaking factor kung bakit kami nanalo ngayon kasi parang nagising kami. Hindi kasi namin nagawa 'yung kung ano dapat namin gawin noong first game,” Santos said during the post-game press conference.
“So ‘yung ngayong game, 'yun talaga 'yung identity namin na dapat tuloy-tuloy lang namin gawin. So yeah, it's all about team effort.”
[ALSO READ: NU's bench mob proves crucial as Lady Bulldogs take Game 1 of the Finals vs UST]
And just as she did last season, Santos delivered when UST needed stability and leadership.
Her back-to-back impactful Game 2 outings have now positioned the Growling Tigresses for another shot at ending the Lady Bulldogs’ dominance.
Game 3 is set for Sunday, December 14, at MOA Arena, marking the third straight season the championship will be decided in a winner-take-all showdown between UST and NU.
The Scores:
UST (95) – Sierba 17, Santos 15, Ambos 13, C. Danganan 11, Pastrana 8, Onianwa 8, Relliquette 6, Pineda 6, Bron 5, Maglupay 5, Soriano 1, Dajao 0, K. Danganan 0, Pescador 0.
NU (70) – Cayabyab 22, Villanueva 12, Pingol 8, Surada 7, Pring 6, Betanio 5, Solis 4, D. Medina 3, Alterado 3, Garcia 0, Canindo 0, S. Medina 0.
Quarterscores: 26-17, 48-40, 75-53, 95-70.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.