THE ATENEO Lady Eagles failed to break the National University Lady Bulldogs’ 31-game winning streak, as the latter swept the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Basketball Tournament and took the championship for the second year running after a 75-55 victory on Sunday, December 6 at the Blue Eagle Gym, Ateneo de Manila University.

Jolina Go started the game strong with back-to-back threes–the only time the Ateneo held the lead. But the game was kept close early on, with both sides clocking in a gritty first quarter, especially on the defensive end. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 6-10 in favor of the Lady Bulldogs.

Unfortunately, the Lady Eagles were not able to sustain their defensive performance as the Manila-based squad started the second quarter on a 13-2 run. They continually ignited multiple runs throughout the period, ballooning their lead to 21 points at the end of the first half.

The Lady Eagles depended on their starters to lead them past the vaunted Goliaths. However, the efforts of Go, Danica Jose, and Katrina Guytinco–who scored 19, 12, and nine points, respectively–were simply not enough. Their offense struggled against the size of the Lady Bulldogs, as Rhena Itesi, Shelley Gupilan, and Afril Bernardino crowded the paint and forced the Ateneo to take long jumpers. The NU trio were also as lethal on the offensive end, scoring 13, 11, and 18 points, respectively. To top it off, Bernardino’s 17 rebounds and three steals also garnered her the Season 78 Finals Most Valuable Player Award.

Nevertheless, the hustle and determination that the Lady Eagles showed throughout the season never wavered. Led by Jose’s 10 rebounds, Javier’s 4 steals, and the pesky defense of the Ateneo backcourt, the Blue and White continued to compete until the dying moments of their season. “I want to be remembered as someone who will fight to the last possession,” the graduating Jose said. “I told my teammates before the game that we just have to play our game and give it our all.”

Although disappointed about the loss, Erika Dy was proud of what her team accomplished in her last season as the Ateneo’s head coach. “We did not know where we would finish [after the elimination round],” she said.

The loss marked the end of the Cinderella run of the Lady Eagles, who finished the elimination round with a 6-8 win-loss record while surviving five do-or-die games to reach the finals for the first time since 2007. It also marked the end of the careers of graduating players Alyanna Nitorreda, Claire Aseron, Likhang Javier, Jose, as well as Head Coach Dy, who have all suited up for the Blue and White for the last time.

Box Scores:

Ateneo 55 — Go 19, Jose 12, Guytinco 9, Javier 4, Yam 3, Aseron 3, Buendia 2, Lamar 2, Nitorreda 1, Tomita 0, Deacon 0. Moslares 0, Newsome 0, Payac 0, Veloso 0.

NU 75 — Bernardino 18, Tongco 17, Itesi 13, Gupilan 11, Abriam 6, Paig 3, Animam 2, Miranda 2, Del Carmen 2, Reyes 1, Antiquera 0, Sison 0, Nabalan 0, Harada 0, Layug 0, Riel 0.

Quarterly Scores: 6-10, 21-40, 34-60, 55-75

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