THE ATENEO Blue Eagles return to their winning ways with a victory against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88, 84-77. The matchup took place earlier today, October 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
This victory places the Blue Eagles at third in the UAAP Women’s Basketball elimination standings at 5-2.
Camille Malagar led the Blue and White with 17 points and four assists. Alongside Malagar, Dela Rosa tallied 14 points and two blocks to lead the Blue Eagles.
Looking to avenge their last defeat against the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, the Blue Eagles entered the hardcourt waxing hot as Malagar and Dela Rosa opened the scoring, 4-0. Trying to maintain the Blue and White’s scoring streak, Kai Oani tallied a three from rainbow country, while Malagar sank a corner midrange jumper, 9-3. However, the Lady Tamaraws quickly answered as Victoria Pasilang and Yvette Villanueva scored five quick points to trim the deficit to one, 9-8.
To end the scoring drought, Blue Eagle Gracie Batongbakal slithered her way through the defense for a quick floater, 11-8. However, the Lady Tamaraws started a back-and-forth affair as Amyah Espanol and Cassie Salvani provided three points through free throws, 11-11. Continuing her team’s hot shooting, Lady Tamaraw Shemaiah Abetayo provided a corner three along with a floater to increase the Blue Eagles’ deficit, 13-16. Once they lost their edge, the Blue and White’s deficit ballooned to six points as FEU’s Abatayo, Salvani, and Erica Lopez dropped six points against the Loyola-based squad, 15-21.
Due to the growing deficit, Ateneo Head Coach L.A. Mumar regathered the team for a quick timeout. Coming out of the huddle, Malagar willed her team back in the game as she scored five quick points with a transition three and layup, 20-21. To end the first quarter, Oani, running down the sideline, received the ball for a smooth breakaway layup, 22-21.
Entering the second canto, Sandra Villacruz opened the scoring for the Blue Eagles with a layup and midrange jumper, 26-25. Aiming to extend their advantage, Batongbakal scored a floater in the paint to gift her team a three-point edge, 28-25. However, Lady Tamaraws Lopez and Espanol gave the Blue and White problems with a three-pointer and midrange pull-up, 28-30. Standing up to FEU’s resurgence, Dela Rosa showed her poise by garnering four free throws, 32-30.
Running down the floor, Oani found herself open in the corner for a three, which she converted, 35-32. Spurring the momentum, Malagar and Dela Rosa went on a furious run, scoring via multiple layups, 41-32. Alongside Malagar and Dela Rosa, Kate Cancio scored a bucket inside the paint to give Ateneo a nine-point advantage, the largest in the game so far, 43-34. However, FEU started their own scoring streak to end the half, as Villanueva and Abetayo made it a four-point game, 43-39.
Coming into the second half, the Blue Eagles went on an offensive showdown against FEU. Villacruz kickstarted the shootout with a jumper at 45-41. Rani then led the charge, converting five consecutive markers for an eight-point cushion, 51-43. As Ateneo encountered Lady Tamaraw Elaine Patio’s prowess on the glass, Dela Rosa had to make amends, successfully executing a three-point play at 56-52. Continuing their downtown exhibition, Malagar and Gracie Batongbakal converted respective long shots for an 11-point advantage, 66-55.
With the tempo slowing down in the fourth canto, the Blue Eagle became riddled with errors, allowing the Lady Tamaraws to inch closer through charity points, 68-58. To end the scoring drought, Erica De Luna found an open corner, delivering a three-pointer and extending Ateneo’s lead to double digits, 71-61. However, the absence of Sarah Makanjuola in the quarter allowed for FEU’s Pasilang to cut the lead to four with consecutive markers, 71-67.
To stretch the Blue and White’s cushion, Batongbakal and Malagar both converted from the outside, 77-70. With less than two minutes remaining, Cancio ensured that no points were wasted as she drained her charity shots to respond to Abataya’s baskets, 83-75. Dela Rosa then finished the business with a charity point of her own, 84-77.
Looking to continue their winning momentum, the Ateneo Blue Eagles will face the NU Lady Bulldogs, Sunday, October 26, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in the City of Manila.
Box scores:
Ateneo (84): Malagar- 17, Cancio – 14, Dela Rosa – 14, Oani – 14, Batongbakal – 10, Villacruz – 10, De Luna – 5
FEU (77): Abatayo – 19, Villanueva – 13, Patio – 12 , Lopez – 9, Pasilang – 9, Espanol – 8, Salvani – 5, Dela Torre – 2
Quarter/Set scores:
Ateneo-FEU: 22-21, 43-39, 66-55, 84-77
Current Standings (W-L):
- UST Growling Tigresses (6-0)
- NU Lady Bulldogs (6-2)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (5-2)
- AdU Lady Falcons (2-3)
- UP Fighting Maroons (2-4)
- DLSU Lady Archers (2-4)
- UE Lady Warriors (0-6)
