MANILA, Philippines - National University and Far Eastern University captured the UAAP Season 74 juniors’ and women’s divisions crowns, respectively, to somehow make up for the failure of their respective men’s squads to flourish in their own end.
The Bullpups trounced top seed FEU-FERN, 72-63, in yesterday’s Game 3 at The Arena in San Juan to break a long title drought spanning 37 years while the FEU Lady Tams wrested the crown from back-to-back champ Adamson with a 68-57 victory in their own rubber match.
Finals MVP Ralph Atangan fired 18 points, including a clutch layup and two charities that propelled NU a 70-62 cushion going to the last 32.4 seconds of the contest.
Aside from sharing scoring honors with Ralph Tansingco (18), Atangan also grabbed 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Bullpups.
NU had to overcome the twice-to-beat edge of No. 2 La Salle-Zobel in the Final Four before overcoming a 0-1 deficit to FEU-FERN in the finals.
“Being able to beat Zobel, a strong team, in the Final Four did the boys well as it gave them the confidence going to the finals,” said second-year coach Jeff Napa, who on the personal end, tasted his first “championship.”
Season MVP Jerie Pingoy led FEU-FERN, the top seed, with 15 points, six assists and six steals.
FEU earlier thwarted the three-peat bid of Adamson with Season MVP Raiza Palmera (24 points) and Finals MVP Allana Lim (19 markers, eight boards) leading the Lady Tams to the Promised Land after bridesmaid finishes the last two years.
The scores:
First Game (Women’s)
FEU 68 – Palmera 24, Lim 19, Columna 14, Borja 5, Valenzona 2, Yazon 2, Soriano 2, Sambile 0, Tiu 0, Supnet 0.
AdU 57 – Penaranda 16, Ortega 14, Buendia 13, Bernardo 6, Balasta 5, De Leon 2, Taroja 1, Avila 0, Versoza 0, Taller 0.
Quarterscores: 19-11, 37-14, 48-34, 68-57
Second Game (Jrs)
NU 72 – Tansingco 18, Atangan 18, Busa 15, Baliton 8, Rivero 5, Tendenilla 3, Subrabas 3, Napa 2, Villagracia 0, Lopena 0, Lapiz 0, Caulian 0.
FEU 63 – Pingoy 15, Aguilon 15, J. Domingo 9, Luz 8, R. Domingo 4, You 3, Palacio 3, A. Hassan 2, Delfinado 2, Estacio 2, J. Hassan 0, Estrada 0, San Jose 0.
Quarterscores: 16-14, 31-37, 47-46, 72-63