The University of the East Lady Warriors closed out their UAAP Season 77 campaign by grabbing their third win, routing the plucky University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, 69-60, Saturday at the UST Gym.
After a tight first quarter, the Lady Warriors would go on to dominate the Lady Maroons in the second quarter, holding the Diliman-based squad to only five points while managing to bag fifteen points of their own to take the 29-15 heading into halftime.
The third quarter would open to a UP rally that saw Bea Daez and Antonia Wong score six straight points to cut the lead to single digits, 29-21 in the first two minutes. The Lady Warriors however would hold the fort, with Ruthlaine Tacula and Nicole Medina responding in kind to extend the lead once more. By the end of the third quarter, the Lady Warriors’ lead was bigger than ever at 46-27.
Though the Lady Warriors would manage to extend the lead to twenty-one early in the fourth quarter, a resilient UP would continue to fire back at the Lady Warriors. Led by Wong and Daez, the Lady Maroons would manage to capitalize on foul trouble from the Warriors, sinking big freethrows to narrow the gap to 49-62 approaching the final two minutes. Bea Daez would cut the lead to single digits, 54-62, after managing to convert from a four-point play just as the game entered the 38th minute. With UE still giving up foul after foul, UP would could continue to rake in the points, but they would stay just one step behind, for UE would hold on to the lead entering the final twenty-four seconds, 66-60. Another set of free throws in the final ten seconds would seal the win for UE.
Ruthlaine Tacula and Eunique Chan led the scoring for the Lady Warriors with 14 points apiece. Antonia Wong led the way for the Lady Maroons with 27 points and 17 rebounds, with Bea Daez contributing 15 points.
Host school UE ends their women’s basketball campaign at seventh place with a record of 3-11. UP meanwhile exits without a win to their name at 0-14.
