By NIKOLE JAVIER
Birthday girl Favour Onoh grabbed a record 30 rebounds as University of the Philippines hacked out an 88-80 overtime win to drag University of Santo Tomas into a do-or-die match in the UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball Final Four on Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
It was a fitting birthday gift for the 18-year Onoh as she conspired with Louna Ozar in disarming the twice-to-beat advantage of the Tigresses.
Onoh’s feat is by far the most by any basketball player in the league – even in the men’s division.
Ozar, for her part, carried out a team-high 25 points, while Kaye Pesquera and Rhea Sanchez had 16 and 12 markers, respectively.
It was UP’s first playoff win since 2008 and its last finals appearance in the tournament.
Down 25-45 a few minutes before the break, the Fighting Maroons went on a huge 21-0 surge capped by Onoh’s jumper to snatch the lead at the 7:20 mark of the third quarter.
Both squads engaged in a nip-and-tuck affair in the final period that saw the game knotted at 72-all at the end of regulation.
Tantoy Ferrer opened the scoring in the extra time with a triple, but Rhea Sanchez quickly fired one back to put the match in its last deadlock of 75-all.
The Fighting Maroons will take on the Growling Tigresses in Game 2 of the best-of-three semifinal series on Saturday, Nov. 25 with the winner facing eight-peat-seeking National University Lady Bulldogs in the championship.
The scores:
UP 88 – Ozar 25, Pesquera 19, Onoh 14, Sanchez 12, Domingo 9, Tapawan 6, Maw 2, Bariquit 1, Lozada 0, Vingno 0.
UST 80 – Pastrana 29, Tacatac 12, Santos 9, Villasin 9, Ferrer 7, Maglupay 4, Danganan 3, Dionisio 3, Soriano 2, Ambos 2, Bron 0, Ly 0, Serrano 0.
Quarters: 21-22, 38-45, 59-54, 72-72, 88-80.
