De La Salle Zobel (DLSZ) reasserted its dominance over rival Ateneo de Manila University, 101-21, to close the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philipines (UAAP) Season 88 girls’ basketball tournament on a high note Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

Eager to bounce back from a two-game skid against University of Santo Tomas and National University Nazareth School, the Junior Lady Archers relied on the combined efforts of Apyang Dulay, Sofia Martinez, and Bing Padigos for a commanding 50-10 first-half performance that set the tone for the rest of the game.

Dulay finished with 18 points, nine steals, four rebounds, and one assist, while Martinez added 15 points, seven steals, five rebounds, and three assists, helping the Junior Lady Archers claim sole possession of third place in the four-team field and improve their record to 1-2.

“I think this is a big step for us because the confidence of the team is back. In our previous games, the opponent was ahead by 30 or 50 points. It's better to play when this version of La Salle comes out on top,” DLSZ head coach Louie Fernandez said.

The Junior Lady Archers, who have won all their encounters with the Blue Eagles since the inception of high school basketball in 2019, wasted no time dictating the tempo. They opened with a dominant 26-4 first quarter, and consecutive baskets by Ima Navarro and Ching Ching Gales closed the second quarter, giving DLSZ a commanding 50-10 halftime lead.

The massacre continued in the third quarter as a midrange jumper by Martinez, a Gales inside basket, and two consecutive Dulay layups extended DLSZ’s lead to 73-15 heading into the final period — an advantage Ateneo could not overcome.