FAILURE TO knock down shots resulted in the Ateneo Lady Eagles’ third loss in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Women’s Basketball Tournament at the hands of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, 38-67, on September 30 at the Blue Eagle Gym.
No Ateneo player was able to hit the double-digit mark as the team was cold from the field, nailing only 17 out of 59, or 29% of their shots in the entire contest. Jhazmin Joson, Cara Buendia, and Zoe Chu all tallied six points, with Chu adding five rebounds to her name. Nicole Cancio chipped in with five points together with five rebounds as well.
Misaela Larosa carried the Golden Tigresses’ offense with 20 points on an 8/9 shooting clip to go along with five rebounds. Malu Irebu got herself a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while both Loraine Capilit and Elondra Rivera helped out with 10 points apiece.
After a slow start by both teams, Ateneo got their first basket by splitting UST’s full court press to trim UST’s lead, 2-4. The Golden Tigresses found their offensive groove soon after, forcing a timeout from the Blue and White after UST built a nine-point lead, 2-11, behind a 0-7 run. Back-to-back baskets from the Lady Eagles in the paint cut trimmed the deficit and ended the opening period, 6-14.
[First Quarter]
Ateneo breaks UST’s full court press. Jay Nimes converts in the paint.
Ateneo 2 UST 4#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/BV57cNJwmo
— Nielbert A. Dy (@Bert_TheGUIDON) September 30, 2018
[First Quarter]
Buendia ends the quarter with an open bucket in the paint.
Ateneo 6 UST 14#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/TXqlkoS21s
— Nielbert A. Dy (@Bert_TheGUIDON) September 30, 2018
The Katipunan-based side began the second quarter on a high note after playing good team defense coupled with a fastbreak layup from Kat Guytingco. However, another 7-0 run capped by a three from Capilit extended UST’s lead, 10-21. Joson and Buendia got baskets back for Ateneo but Larosa led the Golden Tigresses to a 20 point lead by the end of the half, 16-36.
[Second Quarter]
Larosa blows past her defenders for the layup. Joson answers with a tough mid range jumper.
Ateneo 16 UST 34#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/bSw2Se7rdR
— Nielbert A. Dy (@Bert_TheGUIDON) September 30, 2018
After the break, UST raised the intensity of their full court pressure and they were rewarded with fastbreak points that came off several of Ateneo’s 24 turnovers in the game. The Lady Eagles were limited to only eight points scored in the third period, allowing their UST counterparts to take a commanding 25-point lead, 24-49, entering the final frame.
[Third Quarter]
Rivera punishes Ateneo after the turnover.
Ateneo 24 UST 49#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/PxkxZrcz6t
— Nielbert A. Dy (@Bert_TheGUIDON) September 30, 2018
[Third Quarter]
Rivera punishes Ateneo after the turnover.
Ateneo 24 UST 49#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/PxkxZrcz6t
— Nielbert A. Dy (@Bert_TheGUIDON) September 30, 2018
The España-based side kept their foot on the gas as Capilit ignited a 4-12 run early on in the final quarter, with an and-one opportunity and a corner three to further widen the gap, 28-61. Ateneo showed some signs of life midway through the period through flawlessly executed sequences from Go and Chu, but UST ultimately went on to secure the victory 38-67.
[Fourth Quarter]
Go lobs it to Chu for the bucket inside!
Ateneo 30 UST 61#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/WYEkeFKBGS
— Nielbert A. Dy (@Bert_TheGUIDON) September 30, 2018
Despite being beaten on the offensive glass 8-14, Ateneo Head Coach John Flores commended his team’s defensive effort. “We defended well. Of course, they scored pero maganda defense namin (Of course they scored but our defense was good),” he said. “When they [UST] were running their sets, we were able to contain them. Their scoring came mostly from offensive rebounds and that’s where we were beaten.”
With only 38 points scored, Flores rued the team’s offensive execution. “Our problem was when we got the ball,” he admitted. “We had like seven or eight open shots that we missed.”
The Lady Eagles’ starting point guard, Joson, expressed similar sentiments with how the game played out. “We were missing all our shots. We were playing good defense but we could not get anything back on offense so it wasn’t good for us,” she said.
The Ateneo Lady Eagles will look to end their three-game losing skid when they take on the Adamson University Lady Falcons in their fifth game in the tourney on October 6, 1:00 PM, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City.
Quarter Scores:
Ateneo-UST: 6-14, 16-36, 24-49, 38-67
Box score:
Ateneo (38): Joson – 6, Chu – 6, Buendia – 6, Cancio – 5, Nimes – 4, Miranda – 4, Go – 2, Guytingco – 2, Newsome – 2, Moslares – 1, De Dios – 0, Gino-Gino – 0, Payac – 0, Quirante – 0
UST (67): Larosa – 20, Irebu – 13, Capilit – 10, Rivera – 10, Aujero – 8, Ferrer – 2, Sangalang – 2, Gonzales – 2, Tacatac – 0, Magat – 0, Valera – 0, Villar – 0
