The DLSU Lady Archers took control of their matchup against the UE Lady Warriors from the get-go, winning their fourth game of the season, 76-53, earlier today at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Joehanna Arciga led La Salle with 14 points and five rebounds en route to their third win. Center Fina Niantcho chipped in with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Lee Sario contributed 11 points.
In the losing effort, Kamba Kone posted 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Warriors—aided by Pauline Anastacio with 11 points.
Strong start
Coming off a strong outing in their last game, DLSU continued their momentum as they strung points off of UE’s turnovers. La Salle pushed the pace in the first quarter, turning UE’s missed shots into easy baskets on the other end. The team from Taft ended the quarter on a massive 19-5 run after being down 2-0 early. The Lady Archers ended the first quarter up by 12, 19-7.
The backcourt pressure of the Lady Archers continued to work wonders, leading the Lady Warriors to struggle in their halfcourt offensive sets. Niantcho opened the scoring in the second period for La Salle with a bank shot in the paint, 21-9. DLSU’s lead ballooned in the second quarter as the Taft-based squad started firing on all cylinders on their jumpers. Despite the Lady Archers showcasing an offensive clinic, the Lady Warriors kept the game in striking distance after the second quarter by forcing their opponents to commit shot clock violations. However, the Green and White still found a way to stay ahead by 22 after two quarters of play, 37-15.
Sustaining momentum
After a highly-efficient first half, Arciga continued her impressive scoring output—making the first basket of the second half with a short jumper to extend the lead, 39-15. In a continuous showing of dominance, La Salle carved out an 11-3 run that forced UE to call a timeout at the 4:50 mark of the third quarter. The Recto-based squad responded well after outscoring the Lady Archers as they came out of a timeout that was capped off by a Terrinal three-pointer. Nevertheless, DLSU ended the third frame with a monumental 28-point lead, 60-32.
Entering the final frame, the Lady Warriors continued to fight bravely despite the one-sided affair, intimidating DLSU’s defense with their threatening possession of the ball. Kone scored easy baskets inside and Sajol converted her mid-range jumpers to bring the lead down, 72-44. As the game reached its closing minutes, the Lady Archers’ lead proved to be too much for the Lady Warriors to overcome. La Salle ended up pulling away early and bagged a convincing win over UE, 76-53.
DLSU head coach Cholo Villanueva shares his team’s mindset prior to the matchup, “We just wanted to take the game, UE’s not going to just be there to give us the game. So if you want to take the win, especially against UE, we need to take it and we need to grab the opportunity of getting a win.”
He further gives credit to his bench players for staying ready, “Everybody was ready to play, everybody who came off the bench was ready to do what they were supposed to do.”
The DLSU Lady Archers will look to continue their winning ways against the FEU Lady Tamaraws at 8 am this Saturday, October 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores:
DLSU 76 – Arciga 14, Niantcho 11, Sario 11, Jimenez 9, Ahmed 8, Dalisay 6, Espinas 4, Camba 4, Binaohan 4, De La Paz 3, Torres 2, Castillo 0, Villava-Cua 0, Bacierto 0
UE 53 – Kone 22, Anastacio 11, Sajol 6, Terrinal 6, Silva 5, Paule 3, Nama 0, Caraig 0, Gervacio 0, Lorena 0, Delig 0
Quarter Scores: 19-7, 37-15, 60-28, 76-53
