MANILA, Philippines – The La Salle Lady Archers broke through the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball win column in historic fashion, as Luisa San Juan exploded for a league-record 10 threes in a 34-point outing on the way to an 89-65 blasting of the FEU Lady Tamaraws on Wednesday, September 25.
The third-year Fil-British guard not only broke the women’s sniping record, but also tied the men’s top downtown marks set by all-time legend Allan Caidic of UE in 1985 and current NU men’s head coach Jeff Napa, who set the record donning his alma mater Bulldog colors in 2002.
“I got my confidence from my teammates and my coaches. They believe in me and the trust that they give me, that’s the biggest thing for me” the 22-year-old San Juan said after beating the three-point record of fellow La Sallian Khate Castillo, who dropped eight in 2017.
“I don’t know the records but I’m grateful. I’m not expecting that, I just do my role and I think it starts with what coach Cholo (Villanueva) tells us to do.”
More importantly for San Juan, her exploits helped La Salle break a 0-4 slide for the season to tie FEU at the bottom with mirroring 1-4 records. MJ Manguiat paced the loss with 19 points.
It has been a dramatic slip so far for the Lady Archers program, dipping to four straight losses in Season 87 that included a historic 65-47 UE conquest, which ended a five-year, 40-game skid for the Lady Warriors.
Prior to a fifth-place finish in Season 86 with a 7-7 record, La Salle was in the Season 85 finals against NU with a 12-2 elimination-round finish, and was responsible for breaking the Lady Bulldogs’ legendary 108-game winning streak.
For coach Villanueva, however, all that matters is the present, and how San Juan’s eruption can help spark a winning turnaround before it’s too late for the green and white.
“We’re breaking records here in the program of the Lady Archers, but seriously, it’s a good win for us,” he said. “The grit that I wanted to see from the girls, they showed it today.”
The Scores
La Salle 89 – San Juan 34, Mendoza 16, Sunga 14, Sario 9, Paraiso 4, Dela Paz 3, Rodriguez 3, Santos 3, Barcierto 2, Camba 1, Delos Reyes 0, Villava-Cua 0.
FEU 65 – Manguiat 19, Salvani 13, Lopez 8, Dela Torre 7, Ong 7, Gavaran 5, Villanueva 2, Nagma 2, Paras 2, Pasilang 0, Libor 0.
Quarterscores: 25-10, 42-33, 60-52, 89-65.
– Rappler.com