Coach Haydee Ong knows exactly what her University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses need to do in a no-tomorrow game to make the finals of the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament.

“We need to start strong and finish strong,” Ong said of their 3 p.m. match with Adamson as the stepladder semifinals comes to an end at Mall of Asia Arena where the winner will advance to face resting National University in the title series.

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“Coming [into] this game, I think mental toughness [is the most important thing],” the former national coach said as she tries to steer the Tigresses to a third championship playoff appearance in the last four seasons and a second straight title.

It won’t be a secret that Kent Pastrana will be the main Tigress in the contest as last year’s member of the Mythical Team takes averages of 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.2 steals into the most important game of the season thus far for Santo Tomas.

Although Santo Tomas swept its elimination series with the Lady Falcons, one of those wins was a very close shave, a 58-55 decision carved out only in the waning minutes, giving Adamson coach Ryan Monteclaro that this is not an impossible game for them.

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“It’s about wanting it more,” Monteclaro said. “They will not give it to you. We have to work for it. These players have been through a lot, questioning each other, challenging each other.”

“It’s a healthy competition [within our team] and they are responding,” he added as he tries to lead Adamson—which got to this point of the stepladder after a 69-63 win over Ateneo—to its first title shot in 13 years.

The Lady Bulldogs made the Finals outright with a 14-0 sweep of the elimination round. INQ