THE ATENEO Lady Eagles fell to the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, 64-79, in their fourth game of the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 on Saturday, September 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City.
The loss dropped Ateneo to a 2-2 split in the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Basketball tournament, while FEU improved their record to 2-1.
Jay Nimes shot the ball well, finishing with 15 points on 67% from the field. Hazelle Yam and Jhazmin Joson also chipped in with 10 points each.
The Lady Tamaraws, on the other hand, had a balanced attack led by Claire Castro, who put up a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Closely behind Castro was Blanche Bahuyan, who had a solid 15-point and seven-rebound performance. Val Mamaril scored 10 in the first half, while Fatima Quiapo recorded 10 of her own after halftime.
The Lady Eagles had a fast start and took a 12-3 lead midway through the first quarter. They held their advantage until halftime, which came with Ateneo in the lead, 37-33.
However, the game took a 180-degree turn in the third quarter. FEU went on a 21-2 run in the period by forcing turnovers and crashing the offensive boards. The Lady Tamaraws did not let up in the fourth quarter, increasing their lead to as much as 28 points before eventually winning by 15.
“We played a bad first three quarters and we really expected to have done much better,” Lady Eagles Head Coach Katrina Quimpo said after the game. “But towards the end, I liked that they were able to get the stops when it really mattered.”
For the second straight game, the Lady Eagles struggled on the glass, losing the rebounding battle by 21. The Blue and White also had a bad-shooting second half, converting only eight of their 25 attempts from the field. More importantly, Ateneo had 27 less shots than FEU in the second half. Both teams had trouble taking care of the ball, as the game ended with a combined 60 turnovers from the two sides.
“We have to be more resilient. We noticed that when we come out in the third quarter and we start making those turnovers, it really deflates us, so much so that it makes us veer off our gameplan,” Quimpo said.
The Lady Eagles will face a daunting challenge in their next game as they battle the National University Lady Bulldogs, who will gun for their 84th straight win on Sunday, September 22, 8:00 AM, at the Ynares Center, Antipolo City.
Quarter Scores:
Ateneo-FEU: 20-13, 37-33, 47-59, 64-79
Box Score:
Ateneo (64): Nimes – 15, Joson – 10, Yam – 10, Guytingco – 9, Newsome – 8, Chu – 6, Cancio – 2, Moslares – 2, Villamor – 2, Payac – 0, De Dios – 0, Villacruz – 0, Aquisap – 0
FEU (79): Castro- 18, Bahuyan 15, Mamaril – 10, Quiapo – 10, Jumuad – 8, Antiola – 6, Delos Santos – 6, Abat – 3, Vidal – 3, Adriano – 0, Bastatas – 0, Pacia – 0, Payadon – 0
