Lady Falcons Soar to Nail-Biting Victory Over UP
In a heart-stopping UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball clash, the Adamson Lady Falcons emerged victorious, defeating the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons with a final score of 69-65. The exciting game unfolded on Sunday night, November 16, 2025, at the iconic SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, keeping fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.
Adeshina Leads the Charge for Adamson
The Lady Falcons were propelled by a dominant performance from their Nigerian center, Kemi Adeshina, who delivered an impressive stat line of 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists. Adeshina was a force on both ends of the court, creating numerous scoring opportunities and controlling the paint. She was ably supported by Cheska Apag, who contributed 17 points, 4 steals, and 2 assists, and Elaine Etang, who filled the sheet with 9 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Adamson built their largest lead of the game, 57-45, by the end of the third quarter, seemingly taking firm control of the match. However, the Fighting Maroons were not ready to concede.
UP's Furious Fourth-Quarter Rally Falls Short
The University of the Philippines mounted a spectacular comeback in the final period. Spearheaded by Camille Nolasco, who finished with a team-high 19 points, UP went on a 16-5 run. Nolasco herself scored seven consecutive points during this surge, bringing the Fighting Maroons to within a single point, 61-62, with only 4 minutes and 30 seconds remaining.
The tension peaked in the last minute. After free throws from UP's Kaye Pesquera and Shanina Tapawan cut Adamson's lead to 67-65, the game was on a knife's edge. However, a missed shot by Pesquera in the dying seconds was followed by a crucial layup from Adamson's Kat Agojo, sealing the hard-fought 69-65 win for the Lady Falcons.
Post-Game Reactions and What's Next
Adamson head coach Jed Colonia praised his team's resilience in his post-game comments. "First of all, I just want to say, credits to the girls," Colonia said. "There were some circumstances that are out of control, and the girls rose above that... the girls will always play, and it’s up to them on how they counter and overcome those circumstances."
For the UP Fighting Maroons, Lourna Ozar put up 16 points and 4 steals, while Achrissa Maw and Kaye Pesquera added 10 and 9 points, respectively.
With this result, Adamson improved its record to 5-7, joining the Far Eastern University in a tie for fourth place in the tournament standings. The Lady Falcons are scheduled to face De La Salle University (4-7) next, while UP (3-9) will take on Ateneo de Manila University (7-4). Both games are set for Wednesday, November 19, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
