MANILA, Philippines – After a slow start in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament, Tacky Tacatac finally found her rhythm for the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses on Wednesday.
Tacatac delivered an impressive performance against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, scoring 20 points and grabbing two rebounds. She shot 7-of-11 from the field, including six three-pointers.
This much-needed spark propelled the Growling Tigresses to an 84-60 victory over UP, improving their record to 5-1 this season.
Confidence Boost for Tacatac
Before this breakout game, Tacatac had only scored in double digits once, with 14 points against the Ateneo Blue Eagles. In the three games following that, she managed just eight points total. Her strong showing against UP was a welcome return to form.
After the game, Tacatac expressed how this performance would boost her confidence moving forward.
“Of course, this is a huge impact for me. For sure, my confidence will keep building up in the upcoming games,” she said.
Tacatac also credited her coaches and teammates for their support during her struggles.
“I’m really thankful to my coaches and teammates for always encouraging and motivating me to keep shooting. That’s my strength,” she emphasized. “I’m happy I was able to contribute to the team today and fulfill my role.”
UST head coach Haydee Ong praised Tacatac for embracing the pressure and stepping up in the game.
“I think it’s all about Tacky’s mindset. Sometimes she gets frustrated during off games, but I told her that she has to embrace the pressure to get her game back, and she did that today. I’m really happy for her,” Ong said.
Ong also hopes that Tacatac’s shooting will continue, saying, “A shooter will always be a shooter. Even when Tacky isn’t scoring, her presence creates space for our offense, allowing players like Kent to have more room to drive.”
Currently, the Growling Tigresses sit second in the standings, trailing only the undefeated National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs.
Their next game is set for Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena, where they will face the 1-5 Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws.
