Adamson U banked on a big fourth quarter to beat Far Eastern U, 64-50, and clinch the UAAP Season 72 women’s basketball crown via a sweep of the best-of-three championship series Tuesday at the Arena in San Juan.
Riding on the wings of Most Valuable Player Analyn Almazan, the Lady Falcons outscored the top seeded Lady Tamaraws in the payoff period, 23-6, to cop their first title since repeating as champs in 2005.
“Hindi namin in-expect na mag-champion kami dahil malaki rin ang dinaanan namin bago makapasok sa finals. Hindi rin basta basta ang FEU (being the defending champions)," said Adamson coach Emelia Vega, whose wards posted a 58-51 win in the series opener despite having a less-than-ideal practice session at their storm-damaged gym.
It was a long, hard climb back to the top for the San Marcelino-based cagebelles.
After their 2005 back-to-back feat, the Lady Falcons settled for runner up honors in the following season and underwent massive personnel changes the next three years, failing yo hit paydirt until now.
“Nagkaroon kami ng revamp pero isang beses lang kami nawala sa Final Four. Hindi kami pressured na pumasok sa finals dahil bago ang mga players," said Vega, who previously led Adamson to the plum as a player back in 1996.
The Lady Falcons had to beat La Salle in a playoff to secure the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four before eventually advancing to the championship round. And they were up against a Far Eastern crew that lost only once in 14 elimination outings.
“Siguro ang advantage namin sa kanila (FEU) ay depensa. Sa talent, siguro mas lamang kami," said the 5-11 Almazan, who churned in 19 points and 16 rebounds in the clincher.
Ably supporting the solid game of Almazan was Anna Buendia, who fired 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Before the finals, the Adamson cagebelles could not use their campus gym because tropical storm “Ondoy" damaged their practice facility which is near a creek. After practicing on halfcourt at the damaged gym for Game 1, the Lady Falcons held their training for Game 2 at the nearby Emilio Aguinaldo College gym.
The dethroned champion Lady Tamaraws were led by Allana Lim’s 13 points and 11 rebounds and Raiza Palmera’s 11 markers.
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