Adamson University capitalized on the absence of Kyla Go to grind out a hard-fought 78-70 victory over De La Salle University, seizing solo fourth place in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament, Wednesday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Anchored by the continued resurgence of Nigerian center Kemi Adeshina and the Gilas Women 3×3 duo of Cheska Apag and Elaine Etang, the Lady Falcons held off a tense finish to secure their second consecutive win, improving to 6-7 and strengthening their bid for back-to-back Final Four appearances.
Beyond distancing themselves from fifth-placed Far Eastern University (5-7) and sixth-placed La Salle (4-8), Adamson’s triumph also eliminated the University of the Philippines — currently seventh at 3-9 with two games remaining — from postseason contention for the second straight year.
La Salle was without Go, the tournament’s fourth-leading scorer at 14.09 points per game, after she accumulated two unsportsmanlike fouls. Her most recent came at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter in La Salle’s game against FEU last Sunday, following an elbow to Amyah Espanol.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Big game for us. This is what we need going into the final stretch and final game namin against Ateneo. Hoping sana na makaabot kami sa Final Four, which is the goal talaga namin,” Lady Falcons head coach Jed Colonia said.
“This is a big game for us to gain a bit of separation and hindi naman kami tumitingin sa ibang teams or ibang schools sa standings — yung tinitignan lang namin kung ano yung nasa harap namin.”
La Salle briefly rallied from a 19-34 deficit to take a narrow 41-40 lead early in the third quarter, but Adamson quickly regained control with a decisive 22-7 run. Three consecutive inside hits from Angela Alaba and Etang helped build a 14-point cushion at 62-48 with 2:08 left in the frame.
In the payoff period, the Lady Archers tried to climb back, fueled by a technical free throw from Paulina Anastacio and a Xyla Lubrico triple. But Adamson responded with two straight layups by Adeshina and Etang, restoring a 74-63 lead — a gap La Salle could no longer overcome — with 3:10 remaining.
Adamson’s victory, however, was marred by the ejection of center Angela Alaba. She committed a disqualifying foul after kicking the shoulder of a prone Kyla Sunga during a loose-ball scramble at the 7:25 mark of the fourth quarter.
Apag led the Lady Falcons with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
For the second straight game, Adeshina, who battled health issues in the first round, put up a near double-double with 17 points, nine rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
Etang finished with 12 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
Adamson will look to further strengthen its Final Four push when it faces Ateneo de Manila University this Sunday, November 23, at the same SM Mall of Asia Arena.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, Anastacio led the Lady Archers in Go’s absence with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, adding four rebounds, three steals, and one assist. Luisa Dela Paz contributed 10 points and two rebounds.
Mica Camba delivered eight points, four assists, and one steal, while Sunga nearly posted a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds, alongside three assists, two blocks, and one steal.
La Salle will attempt to revive its slim postseason hopes against also-ran UP this Saturday, November 22, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Scores:
AdU (78) – Apag 19, Adeshina 17, Etang 12, Padilla 9, A. Alaba 8, Limbago 5, Muñoz 4, Agojo 4, Bajo 0, Meniano 0, Manlimos 0, E. Alaba 0.
DLSU (70) – Anastacio 19, Dela Paz 10, Camba 8, Sunga 8, Lubrico 6, Araza 5, Villapando 4, Delos Reyes 3, Catalan 2, S. Dizon 2, Villarin 2, Mendoza 1, A. Dizon 0.
Quarterscores: 24-19, 40-35, 62-52, 78-70.
