The UST Growling Tigresses outlasted the NU Lady Bulldogs, 78-68, in a high-wire battle of Game 2 Finals in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Against a dominant team with a superior size advantage, it was a small Tigress on the España side who stood tallest.

Brigette Santos showed up when the Growling Tigresses needed her the most, amassing 27 points, four assists, and two rebounds to help the Tigresses force a title decider.

“Unang, una po sa lahat. Gusto ko lang po magpasalamat sa teammates ko, especially sa coaches namin. Hindi sila nagsawang gabayan kami, tulungan kami. Sa araw-araw na pagsasama namin sa training, alam namin na binigay nila yung best nila,” Santos said

“So, kami na yung sa gawa eh. Kami na lang yung gagawa nun para magawa namin ng maayos yung laro. Para manalo kami,” she added.

“Very proud because it's all team effort talaga from offense to defense. Meron kaming mga miscues on our defense and then we adjusted. One hell of a game by Brigette and Karylle. Salute talaga dito sa dalawa,” UST head coach Haydee Ong stated.

Karylle Sierba and Kent Pastrana also led the charge for UST, combining for 29 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals, respectively, in the winning effort.

“Magtulungan lang po kami kung paano namin ma-stop yung NU. And, yun nga, maraming kaming mali. Sana maitama namin sa Sunday para mas maganda pa yung performance na mapakita namin,” Sierba said.

The Growling Tigresses ended the opening quarter strong, securing a 20-9 advantage through a step-back three-pointer from Santos with six seconds remaining.

UST started the second canto with a 4-0 run through back-to-back jumpers of Santos to pad their lead to 15, 24-9.

NU bit back as Cielo Pagdulagan, Jainaba Konateh, and Aloha Betanio triggered an 11-0 run to simmer the Tigresses’ lead to four, 24-20.

The Growling Tigresses kept composed, however, Santos and Agatha Bron drained two baskets to secure a seven-point cushion at halftime, 32-25.

The third quarter continued to witness heated exchanges from both teams, with UST slightly coming out on top..

The Sampaloc-based squad unleashed a 13-7 rally sparked by Pagdulagan, Angelica Surada, and Princess Pabruada to snatch UST’s lead, 39-43.

Growling Tigress Nicole Danganan answered back with a shot from the rainbow country, followed by two consecutive field goals from Santos to lurk behind NU, 48-49.

The final canto witnessed both teams tussle for supremacy during a high-octane battle, with both teams contributing to the scoreboard.

It was Sierba who provided the spark UST needed, knocking in a long-range bomb and a strong lay-up to secure a three-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter, 62-59.

Sierba and Danganan nailed in back-to-back daggers to pad their lead to 11 with just a minute remaining, 76-65.

Sierba turned in a pair of free throws to send NU back to the drawing board, 78-68.

Pagdulagan was NU’s top gunner, tallying 16 points, three rebounds, and three steals while Camille Clarin, Karl Ann Pingol, and Surada combined for 33 points and 21 rebounds, respectively in the losing effort.

History will repeat itself as the España-based squad and the Sampaloc-based team collide once again in a do-or-die matchup on Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.