The DLSU Lady Archers missed their mark after succumbing to a 76-71 beatdown against the FEU Lady Tamaraws in their UAAP Season 89 Women’s Basketball Tournament opener earlier this afternoon, September 30, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Kyla Go showcased a masterclass of precision and playmaking, consistently converting from the free-throw line while delivering vital passes despite defensive pressure for a match-high 19 points. Bukky Ojo followed suit with 17 points.
FEU’s Amyah Espanol put up 18 points and led salvo after salvo with her disruptive sleight-of-hand strategy on the hardwood, garnering nine steals overall .
Pace and passes
With the tip-off in the Lady Archers’ favor, Aiesha Dizon bagged the first bucket, sifting through the defensive traffic after a network of passes navigated Tamaraw pressure. However, the Lady Tamaraws’ sleight of hand proved fatal to the Lasallian counterattack, cutting the momentum with a steal, and refreshing their shot clock. At 6-5, both squads tugged at the free-throw line as their physicality garnered successive fouls. Go widened the gap, 14-9, after converting consecutive free throws. The yellow shirts, already with four team fouls against DLSU with two, paced the aggression to cut Go’s free-throw streak while continuing to hunt for steals. However, the Taft-based squad increased their foul count, awarding repeated free throws in the final two minutes. The Lady Tamaraws claimed the first quarter, 21-18, feeding off the Lady Archers’ aggression.
Matching their tempo, the Green-and-White entered the second quarter calm-headed before relaunching their aggression. The opening minutes proved unfruitful for either team as offensive charges met defensive counters, yet FEU emerged bountiful, scoring thrice against DLSU’s single bucket, 27-20. The Tamaraws positioned a lone shooter to receive a pass behind the Lasallians and kickstart an open charge towards La Salle’s bucket. However, the Lasallians drove a game stoppage, leading to Maxene Dela Torre being substituted due to a leg injury. Despite the pause, La Salle grew momentous, delivering a web of passes from FEU’s flanks to reach their shot-ready Kyla Sunga beneath the board. At 32-31, the Lady Archers grew bold as the quarter wound down. Despite rewarding two free throws to the Tamaraws, the Lady Archers punished open defenses and closed the quarter ahead, 39-37.
Fastbreak collapse
The third frame started with an early outside drought from both squads, as the Lady Archers continued their dominant offensive boards anchored by Ojo inside the paint. The Taft-based squad’s plays paid off as passes found cutting Ojo, while the FEU defense opted to let her shoot rather than risk foul trouble. The feast did not last long, as Ojo was eventually subbed out, prompting the Lady Tamaraws to pick up the pace, with Espanol and Elaine Patio leading the fast-break charge to retake the lead at 47-44 midway. The DLSU offense slowed down, as passes went wide, leading to turnovers. The yellow shirts capitalized on their momentum by slashing inside the paint while the Green-and-White defense was not set. Despite the tug of war, La Salle headed into the final quarter trailing one, 56-55.
Entering the fourth with Go relentlessly carrying the offensive load for the Lady Archers and Ojo picking up her fourth foul in the opening minute, fresh legs from Marga Dueñas and Sunga helped offset the weight as Shantei Dizon found a cutting Dueñas for the and-one play. The Lady Tamaraws continued their fast-break onslaught, a thorn in DLSU’s side, as every time La Salle attempted a shot, half of the yellow-shirts beelined toward the other end of the court. Victoria Pasilang and MJ Manguiat added to the deficit with a pair of fast-break buckets, 62-58. The Green-and-White gambled with a late Ojo sub despite four fouls in the dying minutes; however, costly consecutive turnovers from wide passes diminished any momentum they could gain. FEU punished these errors with fast-break layups and free throws, while Go picked up her fourth foul after a defensive and technical fouls, as the deficit ballooned to six, 69-63. While the Taft-based squad attempted to mount a comeback off a full-court press, the green shirts closed out the game with a 76-71 loss in their opening match.
The Scores:
DLSU 71 – Go 19, Ojo,17, Duenas 9, Sunga 6, A. Dizon 6, Anastacio 5, S. Dizon 4, Villarin 3, Reyes 2, Lubrico, 0, Araza 0.
FEU 76 – Espanol 18, Mangulat 17, Pasilang 15, Patio 12, Salvani 8, Lopez 6, Dela Torre 0, Agcambot 0, Kant 0, Gavaran 0
Quarter Scores: 18-21, 39-37, 55-56, 71-76