THE ATENEO Blue Eagles earned a first place finish in the 2025 Jesuit Athletic Meet (JAM) Women’s 3×3 tournament, sweeping through the round-robin phase and claiming the title in exceptional fashion.
Both games were held earlier today at the Ateneo Senior High School Formation and Learning Center Building in Quezon City.
Women’s 3×3 vs. XU
In their last game of round-robin play, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) cruised past the Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan Crusaders, 21-8, to enter the Finals with a perfect 4-0 win-loss record.
Lauren Lopez wasted no time when the game began, scoring four consecutive points to hand the Blue Eagles a commanding 4-0 lead.
Ateneo de Manila’s prowess on the hardwood was further highlighted when Katelyn Cancio entered the game. The veteran’s presence alone opened up opportunities for Lopez to dish out easy dimes—even against heavy traffic—to further extend the lead, 10-2.
Although the Crusaders tried to bridge the gap in the latter half of the bout, Lopez sank the pivotal deuce that ultimately sealed the game, 21-8.
Finals vs. XU
Securing Ateneo de Manila’s first gold medal finish in this year’s JAM, the AWBT triumphed over the Crusaders once again with a final score of 20-11.
Relying once again on their excellent perimeter shooting, the Blue Eagles started the game up 5-2 following a step-back jumper from Phia Cruza.
Although the Crusaders kept the game close at 5-4, Lopez further pushed the Blue Eagles toward the championship, ushering a five-point run with a triple and an assist to Cruza to claim a 10-4 advantage.
Utilizing her size mismatch, Katrina Salgado proved to be a presence in the paint, defending the shaded area and grabbing rebounds to keep the Cagayan de Oro-based squad at bay.
Two more shots from beyond the arc served as early daggers, while Cruza delivered the final blow for the Blue Eagles, driving to the rim with 13 seconds left to send the Blue Eagles to their first-place finish, 20-11.
Cruza was heralded as the Finals MVP for the tournament, leading the Blue Eagles in scoring with eight points.
