It’s been a difficult start for the De La Salle University Lady Archers, as they have already suffered four losses in this UAAP Season 80 Women’s Basketball Tournament.
However, La Salle got their second win this year in spectacular fashion, as they outlasted arch-rivals Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles, 49-46, today at the latter’s homecourt Blue Eagle Gym in Katipunan.
Khate Castillo led La Salle with 15 points, and it was her last-second shot from downtown that lifted the Lady Archers above the Lady Eagles. Johanna Arciga also grabbed 10 rebounds.
“Big win, very big win,” exclaimed second-year La Salle coach Cholo Villanueva. “Of course, Ateneo played a well-contested game but the girls didn’t want to lose on a blue court so they did everything they needed to do to win the game.”
Ateneo accrued a 33-42 edge from La Salle courtesy of Katrina Guytingco’s freebies early in the fourth quarter. But the Lady Archers were unfazed, and came up with a 9-0 started by Bernice Paraiso’s underhand stab to level the ballgame.
Hazelle Yam then gave Ateneo a slender 46-44 lead with less than two minutes remaining. La Salle failed to score in their next possession and conceded a foul to Ateneo’s Nicole Cancio, who eventually missed both charities.
The Lady Eagles’ failure to make it a four-point game came back to haunt them, as Castillo successfully drove to the rim and leveled the game with just 1:03 left in the ballgame.
Ateneo then failed to find another basket, as the La Salle defense forced Guytingco and Pinky Uy De Ong to miss the potential game winners. Come the next possession, though, Ateneo gave La Salle a taste of their own medicine as they forced a turnover, only to surrender possession because of an eight-second backcourt violation.
With just 3.1 seconds remaining on the clock, Villanueva called for timeout and his wards executed his play perfectly as Castillo sunk the three which gave La Salle a huge 49-46 victory against Ateneo.
“You win games through preparation. We practiced that play countless times in practice which is why the girls were comfortable executing that last play,” shared Villanueva.
La Salle shot 32 inside points compared to Ateneo’s 24. The Lady Archers also outscored Ateneo 16-6 in the final period.
“Everybody wanted to attack the basket. Everybody was aggressive especially in the fourth quarter. Nobody backed down. We focused on what we’re supposed to do. That’s why we were ale to stay in control and compete in the fourth quarter,” explained Villanueva.
Tina Deacon led Ateneo with 17 points.
La Salle (2-4) shall end the first round with a duel against the University of the East on October 7,10:00 AM, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, while Ateneo (2-5) await their next assignment in the second round.
The Scores:
ADMU (46) – Deacon 17, Yam 9, Uy De Ong 8, Go 6, Guytingco 4, Cancio 2, Newsome 0, Buendia 0, Joson 0, Morelos 0, Villamor 0.
DLSU (49) – Castillo 15, Paraiso 8, Arciga 7, Torres 6, Dagdagan 4, Vergara 4, Nuñez 3, Figueroa 0, Jimenez 0, Del Campo 0, Javier 0.
Quarterscores: 8-13, 20-25, 33-40, 49-46.
