PRESSURE DEFENSE from the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors stifled the Ateneo Lady Eagles as the former defeated the latter, 51-62, in the first round match-up of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 80 Women’s Basketball tournament on Sunday, September 24 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The loss is the second in a row for Ateneo, as the Lady Eagles fall to an even win-loss slate of 2-2. UE, on the other hand, moves into second place at 3-1.
Jolina Go and Katrina Guytingco both scored in double figures for the Lady Eagles, dropping 13 and 11 points, respectively. Team captain Binky Uy De Ong chipped in eight points, including a pair of triples, while starting point guard Hazelle Yam was noticeably quiet with two points, shooting just one of two from the field.
The Lady Warriors were fueled by their starters, who scored all but four of their total 62 points. Ruthlaine Tacula exploded for 20 points, in addition to five assists and four steals. Eunique Chan double-doubled with 17 markers and ten boards. Last season’s Mythical Five member Love Joy Sto. Domingo struggled with foul trouble, and finished with eight points and six rebounds.
The Lady Eagles came off to a strong start in the first quarter with 13 points in the first five minutes, outscoring UE (13-6). Their lockdown defense strangled the Red Warriors’ offense early in the first frame, but Ateneo failed to keep up press for long. UE strung together six straight points to close the quarter, keeping Ateneo scoreless in the stretch. Tacula’s buzzer-beating finish concluded the Lady Warriors run in the opening period and closed the gap to just one point.
The Lady Eagles continued their trend of quick starts with back-to-back baskets from Yam and Melissa Newsome. UE looked to their full-court pressure to halt the Lady Eagles’ offense and shut down the Ateneo backcourt, forcing them to start their attacks late in the shot-clock. Frozen by the Lady Warriors’ defensive hold, Ateneo failed to convert any of their attempts for the remainder of the quarter, giving up another run to their opponents. UE’s offense also shined with 12 straight points to give them the lead by halftime (24-18).
The halftime break seemed to ignite the Lady Eagles offense once more, with Ateneo eventually tying the game at 30 apiece. For the rest of the period, both teams traded baskets back and forth to keep the pace level. Approaching the fourth, the teams combined for 25 in the last few minutes as the Lady Eagles took a slim advantage heading into the final period (43-42).
In the last quarter, the teams were neck and neck, but UE found themselves with a one-point lead with 3:32 left in the game (52-51). Ateneo showed signs of fatigue as their troubles with the UE press began to slow down their offense once more. Tacula capped their five-point run with a dagger triple, which served as a decisive swing in the momentum to the UE side. Down the stretch, the Lady Eagles failed to convert on their last key do-or-die attempts, eventually conceding the game (62-51).
Reflecting on the game, Guytingco commented on the team’s consistency on ball possession, citing turnovers as a crucial thorn in the Lady Eagles side. “We really need to lessen our turnovers, [and] we really need to work together and communicate more.”
The Ateneo Lady Eagles will have a chance to get back above the .500 when they face the University of Santo Tomas Lady Tigers on Wednesday, September 27 at 10:00 AM at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
Quarter Scores
Ateneo-UE: 13-12, 18-24, 43-42, 51-62
Box Scores
Ateneo (51): Go – 13, Guytingco – 11, Uy De Ong – 8, Joson – 6, Deacon – 4, Newsome – 4, Buendia – 3, Yam – 2
UE (62): Tacula – 20, Chan – 17, Francisco – 9, Sto. Domingo – 8, Ramos – 4, Gayacao – 3, Cortizano – 1
