MANILA -- Adamson University cruised to a wire-to-wire 67-39 triumph over Far Eastern University, forcing a three-way tie for fourth place in the UAAP Season 88 women's basketball tournament on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
FEU entered the game averaging 73.33 points per contest -- the fourth-best mark in the league. But Adamson limited them to a paltry 15 points in the first half.
The Lady Tamaraws shot just 14-of-69 overall, including just 1-of-31 from beyond the arc.
Their defensive tenacity sparked Adamson to its fourth win of the season, putting them in a three-way tie with FEU and La Salle. All three teams are at 4-6 with four games left in their elimination round schedules.
Adamson's Cheska Apag in action against FEU in the UAAP Season 88 women's basketball tournament, November 2, 2025 at the Mall of Asia Arena. UAAP Media
"We just respected their shooting capabilities 'no? Kung sa first round nakita niyo na nag-uunder kami sa ball screen, ngayon puro kami over and switch," Adamson head coach Jed Colonia said.
"Malaking bagay 'yon na from the get go, rinespect namin yung capabilities nila as a three-point shooting team and 'yon, hindi sila nakakuha ng kumpyansa gaano. Malaking tulong yung defensive effort talaga nila at doon kami nabubuhay."
After setting the tone with a 13-5 first-quarter burst, the Lady Falcons limited FEU to a woeful 5-of-35 shooting in the first half, building a commanding 33-15 halftime lead, and the Lady Tams could not recover.
FEU briefly cut the deficit to 36-23 early in the third quarter, but Adamson responded with a 20-8 surge to create a 25-point advantage, 56-31, heading into the final period. The Lady Falcons sealed the win with a Cheska Apag triple and two straight layups by Nigerian forward Kemi Adeshina, putting FEU down 67-36 with 3:42 remaining.
Apag led Adamson’s balanced attack with 15 points, including five triples, along with five assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Fellow Gilas Women 3x3 guard Elaine Etang added 12 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Adeshina registered a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Brianna Bajo had a perfect 10-point outing on 4-of-4 shooting, adding four rebounds and three assists. Jam Meniano came close to a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, alongside three assists.
Adamson now looks to continue its winning ways in an uphill matchup against the Final Four-bound National University on Saturday, November 8, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
For the Lady Tamaraws, Amyah Espanol paced the team as their lone double-digit scorer with 11 points, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, while Shane Salvani contributed eight points and four rebounds.
Shem Abatayo — the team’s leading scorer at 14.22 points per game — was limited to two points on 1-of-16 shooting but added four rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Yvette Villanueva struggled with just two points on 1-of-6 shooting, alongside eight rebounds and four assists.
FEU will look to snap its two-game skid against the still-unbeaten University of Santo Tomas next Sunday, November 9, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Scores:
AdU (67) - Apag 15, Etang 12, Adeshina 11, Bajo 10, Meniano 9, A. Alaba 4, Limbago 3, Munoz 2, Agojo 1, Padilla 0, E. Alaba 0, Manlimos 0, Mazo 0, Ornopia 0.
FEU (39) - Espanol 11, Salvani 8, Dela Torre 4, Patio 4, Lopez 3, Villanueva 2, Aabatayo 2, Manguiat 2, Pasilang 2, Garavan 1, Nagma 0.
Quarterscores: 13-5, 33-15, 56-31, 67-39.