With Season 88 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Basketball Tournament in full swing, this weekly series will track the flight path of the Blue Eagles as they seek to proclaim their long-awaited championship.

FIGHTING THROUGH the first elimination round battlefield, the Blue Eagles entered the halfway point of the season with a reputable 5-2 record, keeping them firmly in the Final Four race. With the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) having sole ownership of the league’s third seed, the battle-tested squad has shown glimpses of a championship team brewing, eager to capture Ateneo a title that has been waiting in the wings.

The Blue Eagles began their campaign with consecutive strong showings against the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors and the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons. From then on, Ateneo pounced on the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers and the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, before ultimately surrendering their unblemished status to the league-leading University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses.

The Blue and White then engaged in an all-out warfare with the National University (NU) Bulldogs, ultimately falling short in their comeback attempt led by Kai Oani’s four triples that showcased Ateneo’s potent offense. In their final game of the first round, the Blue Eagles outlasted the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, 84-77, in a contest that highlighted Camille Malagar’s superstar potential while reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kacey Dela Rosa struggled with flu-like symptoms.

Heading into round two, the Ateneo Blue Eagles have become a rising force in the league, ready to challenge the likes of the NU Lady Bulldogs and UST Growling Tigresses. As their ambitions continue to rise, Ateneo has firmly placed itself as the dangerous dark horse contender entering the tournament’s latter half.

On the edge of glory

Laurence: 

After achieving their best start since 2007, 4-0, the Blue Eagles faced their biggest hurdle this season—the UST Growling Tigresses. Not only were the Growling Tigresses finalists last season, but they were also the only team that had an undefeated record coming into their bout with the Blue Eagles. For Ateneo, a victory against a powerhouse like UST could be a statement win. Yet, knocking on the doors of the giants, the Blue and White stumbled.

Even after entering the second half with an advantage, the Blue Eagles could not close out against the Growling Tigresses. Ateneo’s defense faltered as they allowed Season 87 mythical five-member Kent Pastrana to drop 28 big points against the Blue and White. Alongside defensive woes, the squad from Katipunan had 31 turnovers, leading to 31 easy points for UST courtesy of the lost Ateneo possessions. With the margin of defeat being 11 points, those lost possessions could have been retained if the Blue and White had kept avoiding the coffin corners when facing the press. Yet, unfazed in defeat, Coach L.A. Mumar’s players looked towards their next opponent that is another giant in UAAP Women’s Basketball—the NU Lady Bulldogs.

Entering the big dome, the hoopers from Loyola Heights were determined to redeem their loss against the Growling Tigresses. Yet, in a more painful experience, the Blue and White lost their second match this season in a four-point defeat. Mirroring the events of the UST game, the Blue Eagles had 28 turnovers, stunting what was otherwise a valiant comeback attempt. Despite showing their fighting spirit with a 15-0 fourth quarter run, the Blue Eagles’ efforts still fell short.

In what could have been two statement wins, the Blue Eagles fell short in announcing their contender status. Ateneo’s continued problems with taking care of the ball was the main takeaway in their battles with UST and NU, as the team recorded their two highest turnover games, 31 and 28, respectively. For a game that was lost by margins, a repeated emphasis on protecting the ball could have kept the Blue Eagles on top of the division.

However, hope is not lost for the Katipunan-based squad. Looking to end their losing streak, the Blue and White re-entered the win column with a resounding victory over Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws. In particular, Ateneo cut their turnovers down from the NU game, 27 to 20, showing that the Blue Eagles’ struggles can be mitigated by taking care of the rock. A highlight of this game was Malagar, who led the team, tallying 17 markers. Alongside her big performance, the Ateneo starting five all had positive box-plus-minuses.

For this tenacious and gritty Blue and White squad, the season is only halfway through. It is clear to Ateneo that, despite the talent, they must make their presence known by taking down the giants of the women’s division.

Make it rain

Carmela: In last week’s takeaways, it was mentioned how the Blue Eagles made commendable efforts in increasing three-point volume while still needing to master sinking these baskets at an efficient rate. Soon enough, the girls in blue understood the assignment and got the job done. After locking horns with the Lady Bulldogs and Growling Tigresses, the AWBT have taken huge strides in dropping long-distance missiles, proving themselves to be persevering contenders in the game.

Despite their loss against NU, Ateneo has managed to rack up 29 perimeter shots with a 37.5% efficiency. With the Blue Eagles converting more attempts from beyond the arc, a steady progress is honing them towards becoming more confident downtown threats.

Eager to snap their skid, the Katipunan-based squad speedily upped their game with an 84-77 win over FEU. In this said match, 37 successful deep-range outputs were erupted, notably produced by Ateneo’s new blood. Undeterred by Sarah Makanjoula’s early frustrations as well as Dela Rosa’s illness-afflicted game, AWBT’s next-generation talents played big when it mattered the most.

Malagar, in particular, stole the show with a solid 42.9% shooting clip, earning the Player of the Game honors in the Ateneo-FEU duel. It was a marked improvement when compared to her last outing, where she only converted two out of seven (28.6%). Moreover, Oani consistently continued perfecting her game with a 37.5% showing from the team’s recent game. Gracie Batongbakal was also hitting two triples from seven attempts, while Erica De Luna made one out of two three-pointers to increase the tally.

As they head into the second round, converting more points from outside will keep the Blue and White’s competitors on their toes. Reliable spark plugs might be the missing piece the Blue Eagles have been looking for in the last four years, where they missed their finals ticket.

With fresh wings stepping up, there is no need to endure long-standing reigns even after Dela Rosa and Makanjuola fly off. If anything, these young women are emerging storms. For the AWBT’s challengers, brace for the turbulence these women are about to cause. 

Strength in numbers

AJ: In our previous edition of the weekly takeaways, the highlight was placed on the Blue Eagles’ reliance on their ace Dela Rosa. The game plan found mixed results, from their dominant outing against the DLSU Lady Archers to the difficulties that they faced with the UST Growling Tigresses and NU Lady Bulldogs. However, as round one comes to a roaring end, one of the Blue and White’s apparent developments has been a bench mob that has managed to support, and even win, crucial games when their stars underperform.

At the start of their campaign, the Blue Eagles’ bench got off to a slow start, getting outscored in reserve points by 13 and nine in their games against UE and Adamson, respectively. In their succeeding games, Ateneo managed to take advantage of their bench presence by outscoring La Salle and UP, even managing to keep close with UST’s second-unit output, 20-26. The past week found the extreme opposites of the Blue Eagles’ bench production as they underperformed in their matchup against NU, but became the winning puzzle piece in their FEU barrage.

If it is any indication from recent games, the Blue Eagles’ increased bench production directly translates to winning basketball. 

Among the names that have been crucial in their 5-2 start is Kate Cancio, who has proven that she is capable of leading the Blue Eagles’ second unit in critical moments. The veteran has managed to keep Ateneo afloat even in lineups that do not feature Dela Rosa, as she was able to handle the ball and score in bunches when the Blue and White needed a quick bucket. Her most impressive outing can be pointed to the squad’s victory against the Lady Tamaraws, where she took control of the game with 14 points on a blistering 71.4% from the field.

Next in line is Erica de Luna, who has given Coach Mumar an interesting prospect for a reliable player that could be slotted into the ball game at any time. The standout rookie has been able to play suffocating defense with Dela Rosa and Makanjuola, and take on playmaking duties alongside Oani and Malagar. Her effectiveness comes best in the later stages of the game, outclassing the other team’s bench, or even starting lineups with her stellar two-way play.

Within the team, no other player has kept the Blue Eagles in check more than Co-Captain Batongbakal. Her veteran presence has managed to elevate the team, even off the court. Much of the progress of Ateneo’s star-studded duo of Malagar and de Luna can be attributed to Batongbakal’s leadership and guidance, even when she is not on the hardwood. However, the veteran has shown flashes of brilliance on the court, keeping Ateneo afloat in their matchup against NU with 12 points and four steals.

As the season progresses, the AWBT has to understand that the burden of victory cannot rest on the shoulders of Dela Rosa, Makanjuola, and Malagar alone. Lurking on the sidelines are players who are hungry to put their stamp on the game, ready to break out at a moment’s notice.

With UAAP Season 88 heading towards round two, the Ateneo Blue Eagles will have to recalibrate some of their strategies to keep up with the league’s championship contenders. As many fans, and even the Blue Eagles, should know, the UAAP championship is not won by one person, but by a collective.

This week’s games

Sunday, October 26, at 11:30 AM, vs. NU Lady Bulldogs at the UST Quadricentennial Pavillion 

Wednesday, October 29, at 8:00 AM, vs. FEU Lady Tamaraws at the SM Mall of Asia Arena