IN THEIR penultimate game of the elimination rounds, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) suffered a close 61-67 loss over rivals De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers. The game was held earlier today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Today’s loss gives the Blue Eagles an 8-5 win-loss slate in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament.
MVP frontrunner Kacey Dela Rosa continued her stellar season with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Sarah Makanjuola also filled up the stat sheet with 12 markers, 18 rebounds, and five blocks. Meanwhile, Junize Calago chipped in a near double-double of 21 points and 9 rebounds—nearly identical to her numbers during the squads first matchup with the Lady Archers.
The Blue and White got off to a rugged start with an early 2-6 hole in the opening canto. Playing behind, the Katipunan-based squad was able to knot the game up at six apiece courtesy of a 4-0 spurt from Calago and Dela Rosa. Both teams then traded perimeter baskets, but Ateneo struggled on the rebounding front, allowing a 9-2 run by Luisa San Juan and Ann Mendoza to end the first frame, 25-17.
DLSU would continue to cause problems for the Blue Eagles with two straight three-pointers to commence the second salvo, 31-18. In need of a spark, Dela Rosa nailed back-to-back buckets, including a coast-to-coast layup to trim her squad’s deficit, 22-31. Despite Ateneo mounting a 6-1 run to trim their deficit, 28-32, timely baskets by the Lady Archers pushed their lead further, 40-31. The Blue and White countered with a 5-0 run to end the first half only down by four, 36-40.
Both squads opened the third quarter in a slump until Bernice Paraiso converted a layup over Makanjuola and Dela Rosa, 42-36. Turnovers and a scoring drought then plagued the Blue Eagles, until Team Captain Jhazmin Joson nailed a floater in the paint to quell her own dry spell, 38-42. After another run by DLSU, Calago went on a personal 10-2 run to push Ateneo to within two, 48-50. Heading into the final canto, the Lady Archers still held on to a lead after three quarters, 54-48.
Coach LA Mumar’s troops played with more defensive energy to begin the fourth frame, with Dela Rosa and Calago nailing their respective three-point play opportunities to tie the game at 54-all. The Blue Eagles also forced the Lady Archers into an early penalty situation. Despite DLSU going on a 6-0 scoring burst, Ateneo countered with a 5-0 run to cut their deficit to a single point, 59-60. However, Ateneo could not sustain its momentum, allowing DLSU to finish the game on a 7-2 run, 67-61.
The Blue Eagles will look to regain momentum in their final game of the eliminations against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses on Saturday, November 18, 9:00 AM at the same venue.
Box scores:
Ateneo (61): Dela Rosa – 22, Calago – 21, Makanjuola – 12, Joson – 6, Villacruz – 0, Gastador – 0, Eufemiano – 0, Cancio – 0, Angala – 0, Solis – 0, Mataga – 0, Nieves – 0
DLSU (67): Sario – 15, Paraiso – 15, Binaohan – 11, San Juan – 11, Mendoza – 10, Dalisay – 5, Dela Paz – 0, Sunga – 0, Delos Reyes – 0
Quarter scores:
Ateneo-DLSU: 17-25, 36-40, 48-54, 61-67
Current Standings (W-L)
- NU Lady Bulldogs: 11-1
- UST Lady Tigresses: 10-3
- UP Fighting Maroons: 9-3
- ATENEO Blue Eagles: 8-5
- DLSU Lady Archers: 5-7
- ADU Lady Falcons: 3-9
- FEU Lady Tamaraws: 3-10
- UE Lady Warriors: 0-12
