THE LADY Eagles (4-9) survived a fourth quarter comeback from the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons (0-13), 44-42, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 80 Women’s Basketball tournament on Wednesday, November 8 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Despite a reinvigorated UP side in the fourth quarter, a 16-0 third quarter run by the Lady Eagles put enough separation between the two teams for the Blue and White to come out with the win. Similar to their first-round meeting which ended with a game-winner from Trina Guytingco, the outcome of the second Battle of Katipunan was decided by a Jhazmin Joson floater. The win snaps the Lady Eagles’ three-game losing streak while keeping the Lady Maroons winless this season.
Alyssa Villamor led the balanced offensive attack for Ateneo with nine points, marked by three triples. Binky Uy De Ong added seven points in a pivotal third quarter run, while Guytingco contributed six markers to aid the attack.
Iriss Isip carried the UP offense on her shoulders with 17 points on 2/4 shooting from deep, while Lou Ordoveza and Therese Medina provided some help with eight markers apiece.
The Lady Eagles started cold in the first quarter, allowing UP to go on a 5-0 run, but good spacing from Ateneo resulted in a 7-0 run to end the quarter, 9-8. In the second period, tight defense from the Lady Maroons forced the Lady Eagles to take difficult shots. Ateneo’s first basket came with under four minutes left in the quarter through a Pamela Payac buzzer-beating three. From then on, both teams continued trading baskets with the Blue and White coming out on top, 19-18, entering the half.
UP started hot in the third frame, as they went on a 12-3 run behind the offense of Isip, but veteran Uy De Ong upped her aggressiveness, retaliating with an and-one play and a triple to spark a solo 7-0 run. Inspired by their team captain’s play, the Lady Eagles followed suit and ended the quarter with a 16-0 run to earn a 38-30 lead.
The offense continued to flow for the Lady Eagles in the fourth period as Hazelle Yam found Cara Buendia inside for an easy two to erect the first double-digit lead of the game. However, the resilient Lady Maroons did not give in, as a Medina jumper kickstarted a 12-2 run to knot the game at 42-all with a little over two minutes left. Several misses from both sides set up a wire-to-wire finish, concluding with a Joson floater which ultimately handed the game to the Blue and White.
With the pivotal third quarter playing a big role in the win, Uy De Ong shared the team’s mentality that allowed them to go on the crucial run: “I think we just realized that it’s down to our last few games. Coach [John Flores] just told us before the game who these last games are for. So I think we just gathered together and had the energy to work together to pull off that run.”
Uy De Ong also commented on how the team survived UP’s fourth quarter comeback, saying, “I think it came down to who wanted it more, who was hungrier. When UP was catching up, we had to stop, rethink, regroup, and get all the energy we can to work together and get that win.”
The game against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws (7-6) will be on Saturday, November 11 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. The match is the Lady Eagles’ last game of the season.
Quarter Scores
Ateneo-UP: 9-8, 19-18, 38-30, 44-42
Box Scores
Ateneo (44): Villamor – 9, Uy De Ong – 7, Guytingco – 6, Buendia – 4, Go – 4, Joson – 4, Cancio – 4, Payac – 3, Newsome – 2, Morelos – 1, Yam – 0, Deacon – 0
UP (42): Isip – 17, Ordoveza – 8, Medina – 8, Pesquera – 5, Esplana – 3, Domingo – 1, Rodas – 0, Tan – 0, Cruz – 0, Ongsiako – 0, Lapid – 0
