FEU Lady Tams embrace accountability as Final Four goal within reach in UAAP women’s

The FEU Lady Tamaraws are sticking up for each other as they enter the thick of the Final Four race in UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball, coming off of a hard-fought win over DLSU at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

FEU, now at 5-7, kept at pace with others in the midfield, including the Lady Archers that are now down to 4-7. There are two spots left for the Final Four in the women’s division, with only defending champions NU and unbeaten UST assured of their semis spots.

After grinding it out in a 64-62 victory, FEU veteran Yvette Villanueva said that the key has been no finger-pointing, especially in high-pressure moments.

“Unang-una akong napansin is di na po kami masyado nagsisisihan kapag nagti-turnover. Kasi isa po yung sa mga sakit namin yung turnover. So iniisip na lang namin po, next play, next play,” she said.

“Lalo yung game po na ngayon kasi very crucial niya. Kung nasa pader kami, nakasandal na kami sa pader. Ang only choice po namin is lumaban na lang.”

Coincidentally, Villanueva herself committed a turnover late against La Salle, which could’ve spelled trouble for the Lady Tams. But FEU remained composed in the endgame the team's leading scorer relinquished possession in the final seconds.

Rather than get rattled, the Lady Tams focused on getting the defensive stop and they were able to hold on for the win.

Playing all 40 minutes

Even as they did get the character-building win, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine for the Raiza Palmera-Dy-coached squad. 

That is, they squandered a double-digit advantage with a slow second half, where they were limited to just 16 points after ending the first half with 48 points.

With two more games remaining — and one against unbeaten UST — the Lady Tams are dead-set on getting better.

As their Final Four hopes remain in the balance, Villanueva believes they’ll need to dig deep and keep themselves focused on the system at hand and all will work out in their favor.

“Stick to the plan po ng coaches,” Villanueva said of what they need to do to come out on top.

“Kasi at the first huddle pa lang kailangan focus na kami. And kailangan na-execute namin yun. Kasi pag sinunod namin yun, maganda yung magiging result na po in the game,” she added.

As for head coach Palmera-Dy, who after the game headed to play in the WMPBL Finals, she reiterated that their team will not be slipping in the next two contests — even as they face a still-winless UE side in their next game on Saturday, November 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

[RELATED: Do-it-all: How FEU great Raiza Palmera-Dy juggles love, life, and basketball]

“Hindi kami talaga pwedeng maging complacent. Whoever yung mga kalaban namin. On the other hand, sila, syempre eager pa rin sila to look for their first win,” she said of UE.

“So whatever happens, mas didingin yan hanggang patapos ang patapos itong round na to. But again, we will not give them opportunity na ma-feel nila na may chance sila. So dapat ganun yung mentality namin going into that game.”

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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.

Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.