After securing their second consecutive Final Four appearance in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) looks to chase greater heights. This weekly takeaways series delves into the squad’s performance as they trek through Season 87 intent on attaining glory.

FOLLOWING A thrilling series of matchups, the Blue Eagles find themselves at fourth with a record of three wins and two losses, navigating the highs and lows of the season as they strive for consistency and success.

The AWBT kicked off the mid-stretch of first round games with a heartbreaking 72-77 defeat against the Adamson (AdU) Lady Falcons. Despite the loss, Junize Calago rose to the occasion, keeping the squad afloat with a stellar double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds.

However, the Blue Eagles’ subsequent matchup against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws marked improvement, culminating in a decisive 69-53 victory that boosted their growing momentum. Ever-reliable big Sarah Makanjuola earned Player of the Game honors with a double-double of 17 points off a highly efficient 70% shooting clip along with 17 rebounds.

In a week of contrasting heights and depths, the AWBT has seen both sides of the game, picking up many valuable insights along the way that can help them build their blueprint for success.

Twin tower showcase

Carmela: The season may be hot and cold for the AWBT, but one thing’s for sure: Kacey Dela Rosa and Sarah Makanjoula’s presence will be felt in every game they play.

As evident in their recent games, Head Coach LA Mumar’s “Tim Duncan and David Robinson duo,” as he recently nicknamed his frontcourt pair, served as key playmakers on the floor. During their clash with the Lady Falcons, Makanjuola chalked up 20 points for the Blue Eagles, shooting 81.8% from the field, while Dela Rosa produced a double-double performance of her own after chipping in 10 points and 18 rebounds.

Despite an injury scare during the second canto in the same game, the reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP) weathered her condition and went back out on the court to play for the rest of the game. Dela Rosa’s return to the floor allowed the Blue Eagles to reclaim command after accumulating a double-digit lead against Adamson, 35-25.

Although the Blue Eagles may have fallen victim to the Lady Falcons’ defensive play in the backend of the final period, the former still stood out with their points in the paint, pioneered by their starters.

Likewise, during the course of Ateneo’s matchup against the FEU Lady Tamaraws, Dela Rosa and Makanjuola mastered the interior with a pair of double-doubles. Dela Rosa had 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Makanjuola shelled out 17 points and 17 rebounds with 70% shooting from the field.

The twin towers showcased their resolve during crucial moments, exploiting their opponents’ defensive lapses by drawing fouls to create three-point play opportunities. In particular, Makanjuola’s offensive dominance became prominent in the third quarter after an and-one conversion that extended the Blue Eagle’s lead to 33-21.

Leaving no stone unturned, the Dela Rosa-Makanjuola connection prevailed in the final canto after continuing to work the glass using their size advantage, significantly contributing to the Blue Eagles’ ascent over the Lady Tamaraws.

As a dynamic young roster, the current flock of Blue Eagles is being built around these two powerhouses. Consistently taking the reins during crunch time, facilitating the plays, and making strategic decisions, Dela Rosa and Makanjuola’s presence on the floor is key to a continuously improving system.

With Dela Rosa and Makanjuola standing as the foundation of the Blue and White, the AWBT “will be dangerous moving forward,” as Head Coach Mumar states.

Ball on a string

Diego: A seemingly prevailing theme thus far in the season is the Blue Eagles’ problems with controlling the rock, which was most evident in their skirmish against the Lady Falcons.

Despite controlling the tempo for most of the matchup, ball security ultimately led the Katipunan-based squad to lose control of the game in the second half. With a staggering 33 turnovers, the Blue and White coughed up the ball twice as much as the opposition.

In a challenging outing for the talented rookie Kai Oani, the California native turned the ball over for a total of 11 times. With the Lady Falcons executing lockdown defense and applying immense pressure, Oani and the rest of the Blue and White struggled to orchestrate plays down the stretch. Adamson also capitalized on Ateneo’s turnover woes by converting 13 fastbreak points and tallying a whopping 29 points off turnovers by the game’s end.

On a positive note, the Blue Eagles’ dishes to the paint have improved significantly, leading to fewer turnovers and more high-quality scoring opportunities. Compared to their previous outings where it proved to be their weak spot, the AWBT has shown an enhanced ability to thread passes to receivers down low.

In the team’s winning performance against FEU, Ateneo’s guards fed Dela Rosa and Makanjuola who then feasted on the Tamaraws in the interior. Furthermore, with the pair helping Ateneo contain the Morayta-based squad to just 12 points inside the paint, expect the uber-talented Blue Eagles’ frontcourt to do further damage on both ends.

While the Blue Eagles are headed in the right direction, their already commanding presence on the floor will certainly be elevated as their ability to keep the ball on a string is further refined.

Bench boosting

Eury: Fresh off a thrilling escape from their Taft rivals, the Blue Eagles encountered yet another obstacle in their clash against the Lady Falcons—an absence of—nch firepower.

While the squad showed promise with an early lead in the first canto, their performance quickly plummeted to a disheartening struggle stirred on by AdU’s stifling defense. As fatigue set in, Dela Rosa even found herself held scoreless in the fourth frame of the match—a rare occurrence for the reigning MVP.

The disparity in bench contributions was undeniably stark: while Adamson’s second unit poured in a staggering total of 44 points, Ateneo’s supporting cast managed a mere two. With the Dela Rosa-Calago-Makanjuola triumvirate scoring 56 out of Ateneo’s 72 points in the match, the Blue Eagles’ overreliance on their starters became painfully evident.

This imbalance weighed heavily on the team’s performance, leaving the Katipunan-based squad folding under pressure. This tribulation further underscored the need for a more balanced and collective team effort as the AWBT navigates its uphill battle.

Despite this setback, the Blue Eagles quickly flipped the script, orchestrating a remarkable turnaround against the Lady Tamaraws. Making strides in leveling out the bench scoring, Ateneo finished with 15 points as compared to FEU’s 14—marking a significant improvement in the squad’s second unit.

While the formidable twin towers of Dela Rosa and Makanjuola commanded attention on the offensive end, Gracie Batongbakal emerged as the missing piece that propelled the squad. Contributing nine out of Ateneo’s 15 pivotal bench points, Batongbakal’s offensive flair on the hardwood kept the Blue Eagles rolling versus FEU. The performance of the 5’3” guard not only alleviated pressure from the starters, but injected a renewed sense of dynamic into the team’s offensive rhythm.

As the Blue and White draw closer to the conclusion of the first round, the squad’s collective efforts have forged a newfound depth. By allowing the starters to focus on executing plays rather than bearing the entire scoring burden, this gambit could prove to be the crucial factor in solidifying their position in the UAAP.

This week’s games:

Wednesday, October 2, 1:30 PM, vs. University of the East Lady Warriors at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

Saturday, October 5, 1:30 PM, vs. National University Lady Bulldogs at the Mall of Asia Arena