Lady Tams rap UE five, keep lead

MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern University (FEU) held on to the solo lead with a methodical 88-53 victory over University of the East (UE) as Ateneo fanned its Final Four hopes alive after beating National University (NU), 60-49, on Wednesday in UAAP women’s basketball at the Blue Eagle gym.

Raiza Palmera again topscored with 20 points and seven assists and Allana Lim added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Tamaraws, who at 10-2 win-loss kept their closest pursuers for the No. 1 spot in the semifinals, University of Santo Tomas (UST) and De La Salle, at bay on 9-3 cards.

Camille Sambile also had 16 points and nine rebounds for FEU, which dealt UE its 12th straight loss. Cindy Resultay led the Lady Warriors with 21 points and 18 rebounds.

The Lady Eagles improved to 6-6, still enough to give Adamson University a scare for the fourth and last semifinal berth with still two playing dates left in the eliminations.

Adamson, the defending champion, is hanging on to fourth spot after absorbing a 58-51 loss to De La Salle also on Wednesday.

De La Salle had four players in double figures – Trisha Piatos (15), Kady Wilson (13 and 21 rebounds), Aracelie Abaca (12 points and 15 rebounds) and Nicole Garcia (11 points and 12 rebounds-in its conquest of Adamson.

Anna Buendia led Adamson with 19 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Snow Penaranda with 11 points and also 12 rebounds.

UST, behind the 15 points and eight rebounds of Jeannine Ong and 11 points of Mary Joy Galicia, routed University of the Philippines (UP), 56-43. Ma. Antonia Wong had 10 points and as many rebounds for the Lady Maroons, who dropped to a 2-10 card.

Standings: FEU 10-2, UST 9-3, De La Salle 9-3_, Adamson 8-4, Ateneo 6-6, NU 4-8, UP 2-10, UE 0-12.