TEARING UP the hardwood, the Ateneo Blue Eagles silenced the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, 69-53, to improve their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 record to 3-2. The match was held earlier this afternoon at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Following their decisive win, the Blue and White solidified their hold of the fourth seed down the stretch of the first round of the eliminations.
Among the bevy of talents, Ateneo’s dynamic frontcourt duo of Sarah Makanjuola and Kacey Dela Rosa took control of the paint, racking up double-doubles of 17 points and 17 rebounds, as well as 20 points and 11 rebounds, respectively.
Meanwhile, Lady Tamaraw Yvette Villanueva copped a total of 18 points to carry the efforts of the opposing side.
Starting their fifth Season 87 matchup in style, Ateneo engineered a manifold of plays in the paint with Seng Calago at the forefront of action. Showing his tenacity, the point guard dawned a 4-0 lead early on for the Blue and White courtesy of an assist and a pair of sunken free throws.
Despite FEU leveling the scoring at 4-4, the successive 4-0 runs on both ends continued, with Ateneo quickly responding courtesy of Dela Rosa and Team Captain Sandra Villacruz, 8-4.
Gracie Batongbakal added fuel to the Atenean offense with a long-range three off a screen by teammate Katelyn Cancio, 11-4. Makanjuola proceeded to cap off the quarter with an inside lay-up to stretch Ateneo’s lead to 11, 18-7.
In the second quarter, both squads got off to a sluggish start with missed chances at the bucket. At the eight-minute mark, however, rookie Kai Oani made a quick dish to Makanjuola for an easy basket, bumping up their advantage to 20-7.
The Lady Tamaraws then retaliated as their offense came alive, embarking on a 7-0 run capped off by a triple from Jhailruth Libor, 20-14. Ateneo’s spark was momentarily rejuvenated after an and-one play by Dela Rosa following a miss by Oani, 23-14.
However, the game saw another momentum shift as the Lady Tamaraws rode the hot hand of marksman Erica Joi Lopez to cut the lead to as little as four, 23-19.
The game of runs continued until the tail end of the half, as a 5-0 Ateneo counter-blitz courtesy of Dela Rosa and Phia Cruza gave the Blue Eagles a 28-19 cushion heading into the halftime break.
Looking to maintain their lead, the Blue and White commanded the early stages of the third quarter on both ends. Makanjuola once again showcased her dominance in the paint, converting an and-one sequence to extend Ateneo’s advantage to double-digits, 33-21.
With their opponents’ adjustment on the defensive end, the Blue Eagles resorted to risky crosscourt passes to beat FEU’s established zone, leading to turnovers that allowed the Lady Tamaraws to draw within single digits.
Firing back, Calago made his presence felt from three-point land, sinking two baskets to further extend the Blue Eagles’ margin, 48-34. In this closing stretch of the third, Ateneo steamrolled once again with a 7-0 run led by Dela Rosa.
Unleashing an onslaught to start the final frame, the Lady Tamaraws quickly embarked on a 6-0 run. The Morayta-based squad showed their aggression to limit the Blue Eagles and cut the lead to eight, 48-40.
However, Ateneo began to light it up from all cylinders as the period progressed. Down low, the reliable dyad of Dela Rosa and Makanjuola came alive once again. The latter took advantage of her size, resorting to her bread-and-butter approach of forcing her way in the paint for easy shots.
On the other hand, Batongbakal and Oani contributed with daggers from beyond the arc. In a game where she struggled on the offensive end, Oani managed to sink her first and only three of the game during the final moments of the fourth to seal the victory, 69-53.
With victory once again in their hands, the Blue Eagles hope to ignite a fiery run as they face the University of the East Lady Warriors on Wednesday, October 2, at 1:30 PM in the same venue.
Box scores:
Ateneo (69): Dela Rosa – 20, Makanjuola – 17, Batongbakal – 9, Calago – 9, Villacruz – 4, Oani – 4, Cruza – 3, Cancio – 2, Fetalvero – 1, Lopez – 0, Eufemiano – 0, Olivenza – 0, Nieves – 0, Salgado – 0, Aguirre – 0
FEU (53): Villanueva – 18, Manguiat – 10, Libor – 8, Pasilang- 5, Lopez – 5, Ong – 4, Dela Torre – 3, Paras – 0, Nagma – 0, Gavaran – 0
Quarter scores:
Ateneo-FEU: 18-7, 28-19, 48-34, 69-53
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Lady Bulldogs (6-0)
- UST Growling Tigresses (4-1)
- AdU Lady Falcons (4-2)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (3-2)
- UP Fighting Maroons (2-3)
- UE Lady Warriors (1-4)
- DLSU Lady Archers (1-5)
- FEU Lady Tamaraws (1-5)
