Lady Eagles best NU in endgame, 61-58

The Ateneo Lady Eagles staved off an early fourth quarter run by the NU Lady Bulldogs with a furious rally of their own to top the Lady Bulldogs 61-58 last Sunday at the Philsports Arena. In a game colored by a multitude of lead changes, injuries, and quite a few confrontations, the Lady Eagles were able to flash their ability and team spirit as they downed a talented albeit scrappy NU squad.

“The NU players are really workhorses. They really work hard and hustle well. Basically, our game plan was to work harder than them,” Coach Chris Quimpo told goATENEO.com about the team’s mindset entering the game.

And work hard they did. The Lady Eagles started with Denise Tiu, Princess Trinidad, Corrine Javier, Angel Morales, and last game’s leading scorer Sarah Mercado. Every player fielded contributed to beat an extremely resilient NU squad. As early as the first quarter, the game had the makings of a thriller with both teams hustling on both ends of the court.

However, the Lady Bulldogs began to take the lead thanks to plays by center Carmina Laguindanum, who got to the free throw line early and often. She was a headache for the Lady Eagles with her stature and long arms. And when she wasn’t grabbing offensive rebounds, she was getting fouled.

NU had no problems scoring against the Lady Eagles’ defense, hitting on back to back fastbreak runs to increase their lead to four.

A Morales triple at the 6:48 mark finally broke Ateneo’s scoring drought, but the Lady Eagles still couldn’t get their offensive groove going as they committed several traveling violations.

It took the appearance of team captain Mariana Lopa to turn things around for Ateneo. Lopa announced her entry with a booming triple to knot the game at 10.

Meanwhile, Mercado took a hit to the shoulder with four minutes left in the first and had to sit out the rest of the half.

NU regained the lead later on with timely jumpers from Rosie Santos and Elise Ramos, but Valerie Chua and Ong went on a scoring binge of their own, which allowed the Lady Eagles to take a one point lead at the end of a tumultuous quarter, 17-16.

NU continued to build their offensive games through open-court drives in the second quarter, but superb transition defense by the Lady Eagles prevented them from capitalizing on those quick attacks.

The Lady Bulldogs’ forays in the paint were more than enough to keep them in the game and eventually take back the lead. Ateneo would fight back though their guard play, however.

In one of the game’s most exciting moments, star guard Jennifer Dimaano would strip the ball from an NU guard at halfcourt, race down to the basket, and get fouled as she put in a layup. Her free throw hit nothing but net, as she tied the game.

Sam Ong and rookie Allysa Dogong would help in quarterbacking the team towards an increased lead. NU’s Eden Alla would later on cut what had been a 6-point lead to only four, but Therese Estrada would finally get one of her jumpers to fall with time running out, to make sure Ateneo stayed on top entering the second half, 34-32.

The injury woes would not stop haunting the Lady Eagles. Corinne Javier  left the game with a foot injury in the third canto, just as Mercado was put back in after sitting for the entire second quarter. Mercado would quickly go to work, scoring and backpedalling on defense as if she had not been injured in the previous half.

Mercado and rest of the Ateneo Lady Eagles kept grabbing rebounds through sheer attrition, keeping the game close even as NU seemed that they were ready to break the game wide open with backbreaking outside shots.

Ateneo had some good looks, but couldn’t convert. Chua, Lopa, and Dimaano all attempted to score, to no avail, a stark contrast to the NU trio of Santos, Mandap, and Meneses who continued to pour in the points.

NU scored six straight, unanswered points, which could have been eight had not Sarah Mercado blocked Mandap’s open layup attempt. With two minutes left in the third, Mercado would drive the basketball and kick out the ball to an open Dimaano. Dimaano canned the shot, allowing Ateneo to wrest the lead from NU once again, 39-38.

A Limcaoco jumper would push the lead to three, and a mini 4-0 run orchestrated by Chua and Mercado would give the lead back to Ateneo at the end of the third, 47-46.

The fourth quarter would prove to be one for the ages. Ateneo was in danger of seemingly losing their second straight game. NU continued to stymie any scoring attempts by the Lady Eagles. Laguindamun continued to wreak havoc in the paint, rebounding the ball and blocking shots, while earning trips to the free throw line.

Ateneo couldn’t buy a basket, and slowly, NU’s lead increased to six as the five minute mark rolled past. With four minutes left, Mercado went after a loose ball and was hammered by two Lady Bulldogs, creating a scuffle near center court.

While on the floor, NU’s Meliza Mandap kicked Sarah Mercado in the head, causing the players from both sides to come in to confront each other. Whether the kick was inadvertent or not, Mandap was thrown out of the game, and Ateneo was given four free throws, plus ball possession.

Mercado hit two of the four charities to put Ateneo back up.

Ong was fouled at the three-point line which game Ateneo more trips to the line. Ong made two to cut the lead to six, 57-51.

With two of their guards gone and with Ateneo seething, ready to fight to the finish, the Lady Bulldogs could not get their offense flowing.

A Dimaano three cut NU’s lead to one, as the Lady Bulldogs collapsed in the face of a motivated Ateneo onslaught.

A Valerie Ong miss opened the way for Sarah Mercado to leap in, snatch the rebound, and put the ball in with a foul. The and-one play rocked the entire Ateneo gallery, who erupted into cheers as Mercado made the free throw to take back the lead.

NU could only play a fouling game as they were forced to send Dimaano to the line to stop the clock. Dimaano would make one of two free throws enough to win the game, 61-58.

When asked about the Lady Eagles’ comeback, Coach Quimpo had only praises for his talented squad. ”When their backs were against the wall, the true character of the girls was tested, and they delivered. It was the girls who won this game.”

Dimaano led the Lady Eagles with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and four steals in a well-rounded performance. Mercado shook off a shoulder injury to register 11 points and 7 rebounds, saving her best for the final quarter.

Now toting a record of 2-1, the Lady Eagles hope to build on this win when they take on defending champions, the Adamson Lady Falcons this Thursday, 8am, at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

By Diego Santiago