THE ATENEO 3×3 Basketball Teams incurred contrasting outcomes on day four of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 3×3 Basketball tournament.
The Women’s squad secured their third win after outdueling the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers, 21-15, while the Men’s team suffered a tough 10-21 loss to the Green Archers. The matches took place earlier in the afternoon at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.
After four days of action, the Women’s team sits at fourth place in the standings with a 3-3 record and 101 points, while the 1-5 Men’s team is positioned at eighth with 95 points.
Women’s match vs DLSU
With both teams carrying a 2-3 record, the Blue Eagles and Lady Archers looked to outbest each other to give a massive boost to their respective postseason aspirations.
The fixture was neck-and-neck all throughout, with veterans Kacey Dela Rosa and Seng Calago opening the Blue Eagles’ scoring. The Lady Archers were quick to retaliate as Elizabeth Delos Reyes and Patricia Mendoza put up points to tie the game at 3-all. The tight exchange of buckets continued with Calago singlehandedly generating three points, only to be met by a concerted response by Mendoza, Sofia Catalan, and Kyla Sunga, 6-6.
Constant fouls given up by both ball clubs soon slowed the pace and momentum of the once anticipated high-octane 3×3 game. With the game being tilted to a rugged flow, Ateneo claimed a 10-7 lead courtesy of a Calago two-pointer and a gritty Dela Rosa by-the-glass putback. However, the Blue Eagles saw a stalemate once again at 10-10 due to consecutive baskets from Sunga and Delos Reyes.
Kai Oani and Calago brought their offensive skill to the floor to keep the Blue Eagles ahead, but the Taft-based team kept close watch from behind at 14-13.
With under two minutes left to get ahead of their rivals in the standings, Ateneo elevated their grit and hustle, forcing smothered shots and a shot-clock violation from the Lady Archers. Pressure and fatigue eventually manifested, resulting in both sides reaching the penalty limit. Holding a slim one-point lead, the Blue and White were put in a precarious position as Mendoza went to the line, but her one-for-two trip kept the game at a 14-all deadlock.
The match became a tougher and more physical battle of endurance as time ticked down. With this shift in play style, Ateneo exploited DLSU’s foul-heavy tendencies to finally gain a clearer edge as Calago’s aggressive charge to the rim resulted in a foul and two clutch free throw baskets, 16-14. The Blue Eagles carried over their momentum, locking down the Lady Archers with coordinated defense on the other end.
Dela Rosa then inched Ateneo closer to victory at 19-14, converting a La Salle foul to an additional point and scoring a deuce off an impressive jab step off.
Following the Blue and White’s thunderous 5-0 run, Catalan sought to salvage the Lady Archers’ hopes with a single made free throw, 15-19. However, DLSU jeopardized themselves with a crucial foul on Calago. After draining his first free throw attempt, Calago misfired on his potential game-winning second try, but Dela Rosa cleaned up the miss to close out an impressive Ateneo win, 21-15.
Men’s match vs DLSU
Entering the afternoon with a 1-4 record, the Men’s squad failed to capture their second Season 87 win after losing against the DLSU Green Archers. The squad featuring Andre Tan, Joachim De Guzman, Adam Dela Cruz, and Danniel Tupas matched up against Andrei Dungo, EJ Gollena, Earl Abadam, and JC Macalalag.
Straight out of the gates, both teams displayed a heavy amount of physicality with players flying around the court and offense coming at a premium. The Blue and White failed to protect the paint to start as DLSU’s Abadam feasted in the opening moments, putting the Blue Eagles down 0-2. Despite a triple from Dungo, De Guzman matched La Salle’s scoring efforts with a tough layup and a triple to tie the game, 3-3.
However, the Katipunan-based unit’s offense fizzled out over the next few possessions, failing to get in rhythm and giving up unforced turnovers. On the defensive end, the Blue Eagles were late in contesting the Green Archers’ drives to the rim, allowing four unanswered points, placing the score at 3-7.
De Guzman’s tough layup stopped the bleeding for a moment, until the Green Archers struck again on another run. The Blue Eagles failed to close out on all of DLSU’s attempted lay-ins, allowing the score to develop into a 4-10 deficit. To sway the tide back to Ateneo’s corner, Tan’s frantic layup that resulted in an and-one rejuvenated the Blue and White’s energy.
The next few possessions saw the two units trade point-blank baskets in a high-motor sequence. Tan and De Guzman kept up with the Green Archers’ attack in the paint, matching more close-range baskets at the halfway mark to put the contest at 8-12.
The Blue Eagles’ chances quickly faded as fatigue crept into the closing moments of the game. Ateneo’s continued short jumpers, combined with their repeated turnovers spelled their disaster. Similarly, the Blue and White struggled on defense, resulting in a 7-0 run by the Green Archers, placing the game at 8-19.
Tan’s last-minute three marked Ateneo’s last points for the game, as Dungo immediately answered back with a triple of his own, ending the affair at 10-21.
Ateneo will look to capture more wins in their final elimination round clashes against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons on Saturday, May 3, at the same venue.
The Women’s Team is set for a must-win faceoff against the Fighting Maroons at 3:20 PM for a ticket to the Final Four, while the Men’s Team is scheduled for their respective matchup at 4:20 PM.
Box Scores:
Women’s Match versus DLSU
Ateneo (21): Calago – 11, Dela Rosa – 7, Oani – 3
DLSU (15): Mendoza – 7, Delos Reyes – 4, Sunga – 2, Catalan – 2
Men’s Match versus DLSU
Ateneo (10): Tan – 5, De Guzman – 4, Dela Cruz – 1
DLSU (21): Dungo – 7, Gollena – 7, Abadam – 5, Macalalag – 2
Women’s Current Standings (W-L) – Points:
- UST Growling Tigresses (6-0) – 119
- UP Fighting Maroons (5-1) – 101
- NU Lady Bulldogs (3-3) – 109
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (3-3) – 101
- FEU Lady Tamaraws (3-3) – 100
- AdU Lady Falcons (2-4) – 99
- DLSU Lady Archers (2-4) – 81
- UE Lady Warriors (0-6) – 66
Men’s Current Standings (W-L) — Points:
- NU Bulldogs (6-0) — 123
- UE Red Warriors (4-2) — 116
- UST Growling Tigers (4-2) — 112
- AdU Soaring Falcons (3-3) — 114
- DLSU Green Archers (3-3) — 109
- FEU Tamaraws (2-4) — 114
- UP Fighting Maroons (1-5) — 105
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (1-5) — 95
