The DLSU Lady Archers’ swan song in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament campaign resulted in a narrow victory over the ADMU Blue Eagles last night, November 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Kyla Go once again held the Archers high as she tallied a near triple-double of 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to conclude the season with a stellar outing. The Lady Archers were also aided by the play of Pau Anastacio who secured a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Shining for the Blue Eagles was Kacey Dela Rosa, notching 22 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Kai Oani who chipped in 13 points.
Early pressure
The team from Taft went straight into battle with Kyla Go as commander. Equipped with a variety of tricks up her sleeve, the guard cut through the Atenean defense repeatedly, resulting in an early 8-4 lead for the Green-and-White. In similar fashion, ADMU was able to keep up with DLSU’s markers through inside attacks and trips to the charity stripe, courtesy of Kacey Dela Rosa. After a midranged missile from Anastacio and yet another inside attack from Go, the Eagles called their first timeout of the game, 13-7. Adjustments soon followed after the break as Oani struck with a pair of jumpers to even the match at 13-all at the four minute mark. Go further exposed the subpar Ateneo defense and earned more trips to the free throw line. However, the Eagles followed suit, baiting La Salle into giving up fouls. The final stretch was highlighted by a back-and-forth between both squads with DLSU gaining the upper hand, finishing the quarter with a 30-23 advantage.
Similar themes from the first juncture continued in the second with La Salle’s press controlling the match. However, the Katipunan-based squad found answers to the tactic in the form of Dela Rosa’s long passes and Camille Malagar’s long-ranged marker to equalize once again, 30-all. Meanwhile, DLSU suffered a scoreless three-minute opening against the Atenean conquest. Lasallian hope found a way as baskets finally came with Kyla Sunga and Shantei Dizon cracking the perimeter. Turnovers and missed opportunities followed ADMU like a shadow, pushing Go to capitalize on her momentum and setting her teammates up. Along with a pair of Steph Villapando treys, DLSU found themselves with a comfortable 45-37 lead. Unfazed, Ateneo’s strategy continued to rely on Dela Rosa’s inside presence. This resulted in an exchange of hits, highlighted by a tough shot in the post, but it was quickly answered by a crafty Dizon finish, pinning the score at 50-45 at the half.
Built for the clutch
At the onset of the third quarter, an attempt at a turnaround emerged in the form of added aggressiveness from the Blue Eagles. The effort quickly paid off as the Katipunan-based squad managed to hold off the surging Lady Archers; beginning with a Sandra Villacruz jumper and capped by a Dela Rosa finish in the paint, to hand them a one-point lead. Aiesha Dizon, however, ended La Salle’s brief scoring drought to reclaim the advantage, 52-51. Sensing the gaps in Ateneo’s renewed game plan, DLSU wasted no time stringing together a series of highlight plays, punctuated by another A. Dizon basket off a drop pass from Go, 58-54. Surpassing a cold spell of their own, the Blue Eagles refused to fade, tying the game at 58-all. But Go slipped free for two to keep DLSU narrowly ahead, 60-59.
The final quarter showcased an ADMU side unwilling to easily hand the Taft-based squad the breakaway that they were looking for. As a result, Malagar opened the frame with a corner three, 62-60. Go, stranded without an outlet, answered with a loud triple of her own to put DLSU back ahead by one. A more tense ball game then began to present itself as both teams went scrambling for the ball on multiple occasions. Oani’s inside finish marked Ateneo’s last significant edge, 66-63, before both squads traded five lead changes in rapid succession. With two minutes remaining, a potential game-swinger fell Ateneo’s way as Dela Rosa completed a layup off an Oani feed, 72-71. Banking on a miracle, the Lasallians turned once more to Player of the Game Go, who sliced through the defense seconds before the buzzer to secure a 73-72 win.
Speaking after a triumphant final game, Lady Archers Head Coach Cholo Villanueva credited the ever-reliable Go as the team’s anchor. “Her composure, her calmness, her mental toughness down the stretch on making the right plays gave us the win tonight,” he expressed. He emphasized that “sky’s the limit” for his current “go-to girl,” showing full confidence in Go’s ability to lead the program and the rising Taft-based squad in the coming years.
Go, in turn, reflected on the driving force behind the team’s resilience even after Ateneo briefly seized the upper hand. “Dine-dedicate din po namin [ito sa mga seniors] kaya gusto po naming manalo kahit na kinapos po kami [para] sa Final Four,” she shared. For her, the team’s journey to the season’s end was powered by pure heart.
(We also dedicate this to the seniors, so we were determined to win even though we came up short in making the Final Four.)
The game marked the final UAAP appearance for graduating players Mendoza, Luisa Dela Paz, and Mica Camba. Looking ahead, the Lady Archers aim to hone their grit and talent as they prepare to return stronger in UAAP Season 89.
The Scores:
DLSU 73 – Go 32, Anastacio 10, S. Dizon 9, A. Dizon 6, Villapando 6, Sunga 4, Mendoza 4, Dela Paz 2, Araza 0, Delos Reyes 0, Villarin 0
ADMU 72 – Dela Rosa 22, Oani 13, Makanjuola 9, Malagar 8, Villacruz 6, Cancio 5, Batongbakal 4, De Luna 3, Lopez 2, Cruza 0
Quarter Scores: 30-23, 50-45, 60-59, 73-72
