Quezon City—In a dramatic turn of events, Far Eastern University’s Lady Tamaraws clinched a narrow victory over Adamson University’s Lady Falcons with a final score of 67-64 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Erica Joi Lopez led FEU with a standout fourth-quarter performance, scoring 12 of her total 17 points including a crucial three-pointer that put FEU ahead 65-64 in the final minute. Despite efforts from Adamson’s Elaine Etang and Oluwakemi Adeshina, who both missed potential game-winning shots, FEU secured the win with Shane Salvani sinking two free throws in the closing seconds.
Lopez remarked on the encouragement she receives from her coach, “The confidence that coach Raiza gives us is so great that when it’s open, you just make the shot with all your heart, without doubt.” Additional contributions came from Yvette Villanueva, who added 13 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks, helping FEU to improve their season record to 2-6.
FEU coach Raiza Palmera-Dy expressed her belief in the team’s potential despite their struggles, stating, “I’m not surprised that they played that way. I’ve seen them play every day, six times a week and I believe that they can. Like I’ve mentioned in the first round, we just need that everyone play good at the same time.”
For Adamson, Etang finished the game with 16 points, while Apag contributed 14 points. Despite the loss, the Lady Falcons maintain their position in third place in the standings with a record of 5-3, trailing behind National University and University of Santo Tomas.
In another game of the day, De La Salle University defeated University of the East 74-46, avenging their first-round loss and moving to tie FEU in the standings. Tricia Mendoza led the Lady Archers with 15 points, supported by Bernice Paraiso who notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
De La Salle coach Cholo Villanueva emphasized the team’s focus on improvement, “For us, we’re just looking at correcting our mistakes. Things that we did wrong, the habits we had during the first round, we just want to correct them.”
The season continues to heat up as teams vie for positioning in the league standings, with each game proving critical as the tournament progresses.