Jhazmin Joson erupted for a season-high 32 points to help Ateneo de Manila University buck its sluggish first half and eliminate one of its chasers for a Final Four spot, Adamson University, 69-61, Wednesday in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Joson, the 24-year-old graduating guard, had 32 points including eight triples. She also had five rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block in 37 minutes and 15 seconds of action.
Joson, along with Dela Rosa and La Salle’s Luisa San Juan previously held the season-high in points scored with 29 points each on different occasions.
It was in the first half that she made her mark, keeping the Blue Eagles in the game with 23 points on seven threes, to enter the half trailing by just three, 35-38.
“Nag-start yung game Jhaz was the only one who had the energy. She bailed us out. If wala si Jhaz nung first half, tambak agad kami, and mahirap bumalik especially against a good team like Adamson,” said Ateneo lead deputy Bacon Austria.
“It was really just taking advantage of that defense. I mean, if they weren’t adjusting, so I might as well take advantage,” shared Joson on her performance.
It was Ateneo’s frontcourt players, Kacey Dela Rosa and Sarah Makanjuola, who made the needed baskets to keep Adamson at bay down the stretch.
After back-to-back triples by the Lady Falcons to slice their deficit to just three, Dela Rosa and Makanjuola answered with six points to erect a seven-point lead with just 2:11 left.
The fourth-running Blue Eagles improved to 7-4 and can clinch at least a playoff for a post-season spot if both De La Salle University and Far Eastern University lose their games against National University and University of the Philippines, respectively, later in the day.
Ateneo is just half a game behind third-ranked University of Santo Tomas (7-3), which will face also-ran University of the East to close out the four-game slate.
Dela Rosa finished with 17 points, including 11 in the third period, along with 12 rebounds and three blocks, while Makanjuola tallied 10 points and 20 rebounds.
Cheska Apag had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Falcons, who dropped to 3-8, just not enough to reach the fourth-running Ateneo with three games left.
Etang made 11 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Victoria Adeshina got 10 points and five rebounds.
Ateneo will go for back-to-back wins come Sunday when it faces FEU at the SMART Araneta Coliseum at 11:00 AM. Before that, Adamson will take on UST at 9:00 AM.
The Scores:
Ateneo 69 – Joson 32, Dela Rosa 17, Makanjoula 10, Calago 6, Solis 3, Villacruz 1, Eufemanio 0, Cancio 0, Gastador 0.
Adamson 61 – Apag 18, Etang 11, Adeshina 10, Limbago 8, Dampios 6, Alaba 3, Agojo 2, Padilla 2, Bajo 1, Cortez 0, Dumelod 0, Meniano 0.
Quarterscores: 14-18, 35-38, 51-47, 69-61
