Thirteen years.
That’s how long it had been since Far Eastern University last defeated National University in the UAAP women’s basketball tournament.
The Lady Tamaraws last beat the Lady Bulldogs in the first round of UAAP Season 76, eking out a 57-50 victory in what was already a stunning result at the time. FEU missed the Final Four that season, while NU went on to reach the finals.
That drought finally ended on Saturday, as Raiza Palmera-Dy’s Lady Tamaraws pulled off an 85-81 nail-biter over the Lady Bulldogs at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
With FEU making a serious push for its first Final Four appearance in six years in Season 89, the victory could not have come at a better time. Beyond ending a long-standing losing streak against NU, the win gave the Lady Tamaraws a significant confidence boost heading into the final stretch of the elimination round.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
“Yung lagi kong sinasabi sa mga players that our standard is kung sino nasa top four or even the top teams like UST, NU, we know that. Andoon yung goal namin,” said Palmera-Dy.
“This is just a testament na we can actually do it. We just need to work hard, and sabi ko nga, every possession talaga.”
For the players, however, the victory meant even more. After years of NU dominance, a win over the Lady Bulldogs had become an elusive goal for FEU, making Saturday’s breakthrough all the more meaningful.
With one last opportunity to accomplish the feat before leaving Morayta, graduating players Shane Salvani, MJ Manguiat, and Erica Lopez made sure they would finally get the job done.
“Sabi ni Coach Rai, before ako maka-graduate at least we beat NU,” said Salvani, who finished with 19 points, seven assists, and three steals.
“And it’s because of them: because of the coaches, because of my teammates na palaging binibigay ang best sa training and sa game,” she added.
With one of their biggest hurdles finally out of the way, the Lady Tamaraws have breathed new life into their Final Four campaign.
As the elimination round approaches its conclusion, FEU will carry renewed confidence into its remaining games, having proven that it can stand toe-to-toe with one of the league’s perennial powerhouses.
