THE ATENEO Women’s Basketball Team entered the winning column in the Milcu Sports Got Skills Basketball – National Women’s Basketball Tournament with a come-from-behind win in overtime against the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 82-76. The game was held earlier today, June 12, at Hoops Haven in the City of Pasay
The ball game started with both teams committing 24-second shot clock violations to pay respect to the untimely passing of Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team members Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
Once play resumed, the Blue Eagles struggled to contain Lady Warriors Kezza Buscar and Rachel Lacayanga’s attacks to the basket, 2-6. The cagers from Katipunan relied on Kacey Dela Rosa for their stalling offense, as the center scored multiple points in the paint, 6-9. Looking to respond, UE’s Aliyah Ronquillo and Lacayanga drained three pointers to increase Ateneo’s deficit, 9-15.
Dela Rosa continued her stellar performance as she continued pouring in points through free throws and layups, 14-15. Supplementing the veteran, Sarah Makanjoula and Seng Calago scored baskets near the rim to end the first quarter, 17-18.
Opening the following frame, the Lady Warriors quickly took hold of momentum with a quick 5-0 run, 17-23. However, Dela Rosa promptly answered with six points of her own, ending her surge on an impressive alley-oop finish, 23-25. The Lady Warriors responded with their own series of baskets spearheaded by Sybil Oñate and Moana Vacalares, 23-32.
Both teams kept trading buckets as Dela Rosa continued towing the Blue and White offense, 28-36. Before entering the halftime break, Blue Eagle Kai Oani promptly sank a corner three to cut the deficit to seven, 31-38.
Entering the third quarter, Lady Warrior Buscar made another three, but was quickly answered by two Dela Rosa layups, 35-41. Despite Dela Rosa’s continuing dominance, the Recto-based unit entered a 14-0 run after sinking multiple threes and pickpocketing the Atenean guards for easy transition baskets, 35-55.
The 20-point deficit was UE’s largest lead in the entire game before the Blue and White’s stormed a comeback. Stopping the drought, Alyssa Rodriguez sank a corner three, 38-55. The Blue Eagles then started trimming the deficit as Makanjoula, Erica De Luna, and Calago converted points near the rim to end the quarter, 48-61.
Maintaining their momentum at the start of the fourth quarter, Sophia Cruza and Oani’s triples found the bottom of the net, 57-64. Not wanting their advantage to disappear, Lady Warriors Gullim and Ronquillo quickly answered with a triple and layup, 57-69.
The Blue and White kept fighting as they went on a blistering 7-0 run through multiple transition buckets and a Dela Rosa triple, 65-69. Oñate quickly answered the barrage by converting an up-and-under layup, 65-71.
With momentum swinging in the Lady Warriors’ favor, Dela Rosa converted an and-one near the rim and a putback to cut the deficit to one point, 70-71. To end the fourth quarter, De Luna applied stifling pressure to snatch a steal, leading to a foul on a layup attempt in the offensive end. Splitting her trip to the charity stripe, De Luna’s free throw eventually sent the game to overtime, 71-71.
In the overtime period, De Luna continued her clutch performance as she made two quick baskets to give Ateneo the advantage, 75-74. Establishing separation, Rodriguez promptly sank a timely corner triple to extend the Blue Eagles’ lead to four, 78-74. With time expiring, Calago iced the game as she made multiple free throws to complete a 20-point comeback, 82-76.
The Blue Eagles’ next game will be against the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Lady Radicals on Sunday, June 21, 9:30 AM at the same venue.
Quarter scores:
Ateneo-UE: 17-18, 31-38, 48-61, 82-76
