UAAP Season 71 Women’s Basketball
UP Lady Maroons vs FEU Lady Tamaraws
FEU defeats UP 62-50
September 3, 2008, 4pm
Blue Eagle Gym
Lady Tams finish on top
By Merck Maguddayao
The Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws asserted their superiority in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines women’s basketball tournament, nipping the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons, 52-50, in the last game of the elimination round at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym.
With the win, the Lady Tamaraws finished at 13 wins and one loss and will face the Adamson University Lady Falcons with a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.
On the other hand, the Lady Maroons ended up tied at second place with the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses, with a 10-4 win-loss card. Both teams will play in a best-of-three affair in the semifinals.
Coming off a grueling overtime loss against Adamson, the Lady Maroons showed no signs of fatigue by starting the game hot, with Fatima Tolentino converting on post-up shots. The Lady Tamaraws, meanwhile, relied on mid-range shots from Bernadette Mercado and Raiza Palmera. The first quarter closed, 14-17, in favor of UP.
Both teams then played tight defense in the second canto as the Lady Maroons continued on their post plays with Tolentino as the main scoring option. The bulky center scored 13 first half points as the Lady Maroons held on to a 21-27 lead at the end of the quarter.
The second half opened with the Lady Maroons jumping to a ten-point lead, 34-24, with guards Kryzza Casino and Camille Tomelden converting on outside shots. However, the Lady Tamaraws came back within two points, 32-34, as guard Love Miag-ao converted two treys two spark the run.
The Lady Maroons then countered with forward Sihaya Sadorra scoring four points off dribble penetrations. The third quarter ended with UP still leading, 34-38.
The Lady Tamaraws then sparked an uprising with Miag-ao and Mercado converting on perimeter shots as FEU grabbed the lead, 42-40, at the start of the payoff period. Furthermore, center Kathlynn Reyes scored all of her seven points in the last five minutes to put FEU in front, 49-44.
Sadorra, on the other hand, pushed UP back, scoring four points and issuing a nifty pass to Tolentino to keep the Lady Maroons within reach, 52-50, in the last minute. However, the Lady Maroons ran out of gas as Sadorra and Tolentino missed three crucial shots that would have tied the game.
Miag-ao led the Lady Tamaraws with 14 points and four three-point conversions while Tolentino and Sadorra led UP with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Additionally, the Lady Maroons converted a sour nine of 25 free throws to further their loss.
The Lady Maroons and the Tigresses will start their Final Four duel next Wednesday at The Arena in San Juan.
FEU (52) – Miag-ao 14, Mercado 9, C. Borja 9, Palmera 8, Reyes 7, Astrero 3, Sernal 2, Rivera 0, M. Borja 0, Supnet 0, Leviste 0, Positos 0
UP (50) – Tolentino 18, Sadorra 15, Tomelden 5, Casino 4, Paz 3, D. Bautista 2, Cainglet 2, Robelo 1, Stevens 0, M. Bautista 0, Del Rosario 0>
question lang po. sa san juan arena na ba ang lahat ng games sa playoffs,semis at finals? thanks!
3pm ang game ng women’s sa San Juan Arena