Elaine Etang powered Adamson University to a convincing 72-49 victory over De La Salle University, helping the Lady Falcons return to the winning column of the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Etang led Adamson with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
The Lady Falcons bounced back quickly from a narrow 64-67 loss to the FEU Lady Tamaraws last week, improving their win-loss record to 6-3 and solidifying their hold on third place with four games remaining in the elimination round.
“I’m very happy with how the girls responded. Going back to the first round, we were saying that we are gatecrashing the Final Four. But after that loss to FEU, it kind of derailed our goal,” said Adamson head coach Ryan Monteclaro.
“Today, I told the players that ‘success’ is defined by how we bounce back from adversity. And today, they made a statement with how they responded,” the former Falcons added.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Adamson turned a slim 33-30 halftime lead into a commanding 16-point advantage, 55-39, thanks to a 14-4 run to close the third quarter, highlighted by a layup and a three-pointer from Angela Alaba.
Venting their frustration on a struggling La Salle team, the Lady Falcons sealed their sixth win with a game-high 24-point lead after a Kim Adeshina layup, an and-one from Etang, and a free throw from Cheska Apag to make it 70-46 with under two minutes left in the fourth.
This victory marked Adamson’s continued dominance over La Salle, having already beaten them 65-54 in their first-round encounter on September 11.
“For us, we wanted to use as many players as possible to rotate the lineup. That’s why it’s always ‘next man up’ for us. I think the players are ready for the challenge,” Monteclaro added.
Adeshina added 16 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and an assist. Alaba chipped in with eight points, while Kim Limbago delivered an all-around performance, finishing with six points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, along with a game-high plus-24 rating in just over 23 minutes of play.
Looking ahead, the Lady Falcons aim to keep their momentum when they face the UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday, October 27, at 10 a.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
For La Salle, Luisa San Juan was the lone double-digit scorer, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting, along with two rebounds and two assists.
The Lady Archers will seek to bounce back in a rivalry matchup against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, October 26, at 12 p.m. at the same venue.
The Scores:
AdU 72 – Etang 19, Adeshina 16, Alaba 8, Limbago 6, Apag 5, Manlimos 5, Padilla 3, Alaba 2, Agojo 2, Meniano 2, Delos Santos 2, Ornopia 2, Mazo 0, Cortez 0, Trabado 0.
DLSU 49 – San Juan 11, Sario 7, Mendoza 6, Camba 5, Paraiso 4, Bacierto 4, Santos 4, Dalisay 3, Sunga 3, Dela Paz 2, Rodriguez 0.
Quarterscores: 13-9, 33-30, 55-39, 72-49.
