Overturning the NU Lady Bulldogs’ dominant three-quarter lead, the DLSU Lady Archers snatched a last-second 84-83 win in their Round 2 opener in the UAAP Season 89 Women’s Basketball Tournament earlier today, November 8, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Kyla Go’s offensive and strategic lead captured a match-high 32 points, bagging 19 of 25 free-throw shots, while Bucky Ojo’s 24 points and 24 rebounds anchored the paint.
Cielo Pagdulangan paced the Lady Bulldogs lead with 21 points and seven steals, complemented by Ann Pingol’s trailing 16 points and seven steals.
Turbulence and clear skies
Learning from their first encounter against the Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Archers stretched their defense to pressure NU’s perimeter shooters. Both teams endured a sluggish start, trading empty possessions in the opening minutes. The Lasallians briefly took charge as NU’s physical interior defense put them in early foul trouble, allowing Go and Ojo to capitalize at the line, bolstered by Lubrico’s three-pointer. However, the Lady Bulldogs swiftly snatched the lead, utilizing the air space between DLSU’s defenders to pass towards open attackers and their leading scorer, Kristine Cayabyab. Looking to retake the lead, DLSU relied heavily on point guards Go and Paulune Anastacio, but struggled to pierce the defenses and pass towards Ojo. The Lady Bulldogs captured the first quarter, cruising between defenders, 25-20.
Set on regaining control, the Lady Archers tried to diversify their offense to open up angles for Ojo underneath. Reacting quickly, NU pressed its aggression to prevent Ojo from closing in on the low posts and prevent Go from playmaking. Forced out to the three-point line, the Lasallians hesitated to shoot, forcing the issue inside. While NU’s physical play rewarded the Archers with numerous free throws, NU maintained their lead throughout the quarter, still enjoying the widened defense that allowed Cayabyab to continue the scoring onslaught. The Lady Archers’ attempts were quickly intercepted which allowed the Bulldogs to pass towards an awaiting attacker behind the Lasallians to charge past their defenses. A late barrage of free throws slightly trimmed the gap for La Salle, but the Lady Bulldogs remained firmly in the driver’s seat heading into halftime, 53-45.
Comeback season
Despite facing an eight-point deficit entering the second half, the Lady Archers refused to back down. Both teams struggled to find their rhythm early in the quarter until Go’s long bomb sparked a much-needed momentum shift, trimming the lead to 53-48. The Green-and-White capitalized on back-to-back steals, allowing Marga Dueñas and Ojo to secure crucial inside baskets. However, NU answered back with timely triples to rebuild a double-digit lead. Unfazed, Go crashed the boards for a putback before finding Princess Villarin for a buzzer-beating three-pointer, closing the third frame down by seven, 72-65.
Sensing urgency, La Salle deployed a suffocating full-court press to start the final quarter. The aggressive defensive scheme forced multiple turnovers, allowing Go to repeatedly draw fouls and live at the charity stripe. Ojo also anchored the paint with consecutive blocks and getting layups to inch the Taft-based squad closer. Despite the run, the Lady Bulldogs found a timely three, and a series of Lasallian half-court breakdowns pushed the lead back to seven, 83-76.
With three minutes and change left, the Lasallians orchestrated an 8-0 run. Following a timeout, Go converted a crafty euro step, while Ojo imposed her presence inside to make it a one-point game, 83-82. The Lady Archers maintained their swarming defense to force a stop. After an ill-advised NU heave, Ojo grabbed the rebound and ignited a fast break, allowing Go to find a streaking Eli De Los Reyes for the go-ahead layup, 84-83. With only 3.7 seconds left, Ojo stood tall to deny the final NU attempt, completing the comeback win.
Fresh off a thrilling victory, the DLSU Lady Archers shift their attention to a highly anticipated clash with their archrivals, the ADMU Blue Eagles as they vie to build on their winning momentum on Wednesday, November 11, at the same venue.