In line with the ongoing University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Basketball tournament, this quarterly series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Lady Eagles as they look to get back into the Final Four.

Second Quarter Recap (September 25 to October 12):

The Ateneo Lady Eagles dropped their last three contests to bring their losing streak up to five games. They fell below .500 in a loss to the second seeded University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses that saw the Lady Eagles stage a fourth quarter rally that fell just short. The National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs picked up their 54th win in a row over the Lady Eagles, whose 17-point loss was actually a lot closer than many of the other competitors. Finally, Ateneo lost a heartbreaker to archrivals De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers when Khate Castillo buried a deep triple at the buzzer to complete a fourth quarter comeback. The Lady Eagles sit at a tie for sixth place with La Salle at a 2-5 record.

Upcoming Games:

Saturday, October 14, 9:00 AM vs. the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws

Wednesday, October 18, 10:00 AM vs. the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors

Sunday, October 22, 8:00 AM vs. the DLSU Lady Archers

Saturday, October 28, 10:00 AM vs. NU Lady Bulldogs

Weekly Takeaways:

1. The Final Four is a lost cause. Or is it?

Hazelle Yam’s tears after the loss to DLSU summarized the Lady Eagles’ first round: What was once a hopeful 2-0 start turned into a downward spiral all the way to sixth place. While the Lady Eagles were outclassed by top teams NU and UST, they also suffered demoralizing defeats after blowing big leads to UE, FEU, and DLSU. Khate Castillo’s buzzer-beating triple, after the Lady Eagles had just relinquished a nine-point fourth quarter lead, felt like an arrow shooting down Ateneo’s Final Four hopes. However, the standings show that even after the five game slide, the Lady Eagles are only a game back of the fourth and final playoff spot.

A quick look at the standings will show the gridlock between FEU, Adamson, Ateneo, and La Salle in the race for the last spot in the Final Four. The Lady Eagles went 1-2 against those three teams in the first round, with their lone victory coming from the Lady Falcons in their inaugural game. However, to open the second round, Ateneo plays the Lady Tamaraws and Lady Archers in two of their first three contests in what could be the defining stretch for the Lady Eagles.

Considering how dominant the NU Lady Bulldogs have been over the past four years, the last seed in the Final Four seems like it could be a simple one game extension for whoever earns the spot. However, history seems to be in favor of an NU elimination round sweep, meaning a stepladder format would be placed to determine the Lady Bulldogs’ finals challenger. This format is very much familiar to the Lady Eagles, who in Season 78 finished with the fourth seed, but beat the odds and battled all the way to the finals in a runner-up season led by former Queen Eagle Danica Jose.

The 2015 Ateneo Lady Eagles’ run may be the idealistic goal for the current Ateneo Lady Eagles, who finished the first round with modest rankings of sixth in points scored per 100 possessions and fourth in points allowed per 100 possessions. However, Ateneo has had their share of opportunities to win ball games, having been right in thick of things late in six of their seven contests. If the Lady Eagles can find a way to remain optimistic, shake off their emotions, and bring the focus into the second round, they could take advantage of a golden opportunity to sneak into the Final Four.

2. Tina Deacon has emerged as the Lady Eagles’ most consistent weapon.

Unlike most teams in the Women’s Division, the Blue Eagles do not rely on a single go-to scorer. Jolina Go’s average of 11.7 points per game (PPG), which leads the team, is not even ranked in the top 10 in the league. On paper, this lack of a go-to scorer could be attributed to the team’s balanced offensive attack, but the results on the court so far have shown that it is caused by simple inconsistency per game.

Tina Deacon, the team’s most experienced player, has given Ateneo a steady presence amidst the volatility. She averages a near double-double of 10.3 PPG and 7.3 rebounds per game, shoots 50% from the field—good for fourth in the UAAP—and is surprisingly the top markswoman in the league. The center has drained 10 (in 20 attempts) from beyond the arc this year. Her 50% three-point percentage is far and away number one in the league.

Her efficient shooting combined with her rim protection as she averages one block per game, tied with Love Sto. Domingo of UE for fourth, has made Deacon one of the Lady Eagles’ key players in their turbulent season thus far. Her numbers do not pop out of the box score, but the spacing, defense, and interior presence she provides is vital for the Lady Eagles’ Final Four hopes.