La Salle, Ateneo dispute last finals seat in UAAP women’s hoops

Game Saturday:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

10 a.m. – DLSU vs Ateneo (Women Semis)

MANILA, Philippines – Second seed De La Salle and No. 4 Ateneo dispute the right to face titleholder National University in the Finals in their no-tomorrow clash at 10 a.m. Saturday in the UAAP Season 78 women’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Eagles escaped with a 55-53 squeaker over the Lady Archers in the second step-ladder Wednesday, sending the semifinals to a decider.

The winner will face the Lady Bulldogs, who jumped straight to the Finals with a thrice-to-beat advantage after completing a 14-game elimination round sweep.

Before pulling through against La Salle, Ateneo staved off elimination by beating Adamson University in the final day of the second round, University of Santo Tomas in the playoff for the last semis berth and University of Santo Tomas in the first step-ladder tussle.

"We wanted to keep on going, play for the right reason," said Lady Eagles coach Erika Dy on her troops' resiliency in the playoffs.