THE ATENEO Lady Eagles defeated the Adamson Lady Falcons, 49-39 on Sunday, October 4, 2015 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
With this being the last game of their first round, the Blue and White were looking to head into the short break with something to build upon. Winning would result in back-to-back victories for the Lady Eagles, who won an exciting match on September 27 against Far Eastern University.
The Lady Eagles started out the game locked-and-loaded, applying massive pressure on their opponents both offensively and defensively. Their ability to quickly score off defensive rebounds has benefited them in recent games–especially against the Lady Falcons–where they were able to outrun their opposition en route to easy layups on the other end. The outlet pass has been a key weapon for them; this paired with speedy Hazelle Yam led to numerous scoring opportunities.
Their defense was equally lethal, as the Lady Falcons were having a nightmare scoring the ball. Active hands and pinpoint positioning from the Lady Eagles led to multiple turnovers from Adamson, who could not get it going early on. After the first half, the lead ballooned to a 28-8 advantage for the Blue and White.
The game took a 180-degree turn, as the success that the Lady Eagles had in the first half had swapped to the favor of the Lady Falcons; mistakes made by the latter were now being mirrored by the former. The Ateneo had a rough time on offense, as Adamson took advantage of their sloppy play to cut their lead to as little as five points.
However, the Lady Eagles made baskets when they mattered the most. Danica Jose, bothered by foul trouble for most of the second half, made a number of crucial baskets towards the end of the game. This included an emphatic and-one in traffic, which proved to be a dagger in the hearts of the Lady Falcons.
This win puts the Lady Eagles at 3-4 in the elimination round standings of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 78. Jose led the Blue and White with 14 points and eight rebounds. Hazelle Yam followed her offensive output with 13 points and three steals.
Their next game has yet to be announced.
