Bella Belen exits National University and the UAAP as a winner through and through.
Last Friday, March 11, Bella Belen was clad in a toga and an elegant black gown as she officially earned her degree in Psychology during National University’s commencement exercises at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.
Three days later, she was back in the area for Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Finals against the DLSU Lady Spikers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Now in the Lady Bulldogs’ grey threads and black warmup jackets, Belen started her Wednesday afternoon by claiming her third and final UAAP Most Valuable Player award, joining an exclusive list that includes Ateneo legend Alyssa Valdez, and FEU Lady Tamaraws icon Monica Aleta.
It was in the evening, however, where Belen snagged the biggest and final catch of her storied UAAP career. Hours after claiming her final UAAP MVP plum, Belen showed the way for the Lady Bulldogs as they swept the Lady Spikers for the very title repeat she wished for ahead of Season 87.
Before a packed house of over 18,000 fans, Belen dazzled in her final collegiate game, finishing with a game-high 18 points to go along with 11 excellent digs, and eight excellent receptions as she led National U into battle one last time.
“I’m very happy lang din kasi maganda ‘yung maiiwan namin sa susunod na batch, and talagang pinaghirapan po ng bawa’t isa. Hindi lang naman po kami, syempre malaking tulong din naman sa mga coaches kasi sila ‘yung naga-guide samin,” Belen said in her final UAAP post-game press conference.
“So ‘yun, talagang tinrabaho po talaga namin, ng bawa’t isa ngayong season, kasi marami kami naging challenges na hinarap, pero hindi bumigay. So talagang sipag at tiyaga lang ‘yung nagdala dito kung nasaan kami dito.”
It’s not all the time that athletes get storybook endings to their careers. In UAAP volleyball lore alone, Valdez settled for a silver medal finish during her final year with the Ateneo Blue Eagles back in UAAP Season 78. The same goes for UST Golden Tigresses icon Sisi Rondina, who was denied a gold medal by the Blue Eagles in UAAP Season 81.
Within NU alone, even Belen’s seniors in Joyme Cagande, Cess Robles, and Jennifer Nierva were unable to exit with a title when the Lady Spikers came back with a vengeance in Season 85.
However, it was different for Belen and the Golden Generation, with Season 87 serving as their one final show of dominance over the UAAP. Sure, there were their shock losses to UP and Adamson. But when the stakes were at their highest, it was clear that this team was simply on a mission.
After surviving the FEU Tamaraws in the Final Four, Belen and the Lady Bulldogs proceeded to dominate the Lady Spikers in the best-of-three finals, which doubled as a redemption from their Season 85 heartbreak.
“Extra special siya for me kasi isa na rin siguro sa factor ‘yung last playing year namin, so parang kung gaano kami kaganda pumasok nung 84, dapat mas maganda ‘yung alis namin,” Belen said. “May [ina-eye] din kasi kaming goal, which is ‘yung back-to-back. Gusto naming maiwan siya sa NU kasi hindi namin siya nagawa nung 85 and history din siya for NU.”
“Para din makita nung mga susunod na batch na walang imposible, and kayang-kaya naman talaga basta nagtatrabaho as one.”
Lifetime bonds
Along with a storybook ending, however, is Belen’s inevitable exit from the corners of Jhocson as she enters the next chapter of her career. Without a doubt, it will be a far cry from the life that she has gotten used to since she first joined as a member of Nazareth School.
More than the countless championships or individual awards she has garnered over the years, Belen will always treasure the connection that she has formed with her fellow Golden Generation members.
“‘Yung teammates ko, matagal ko nang nakasama ‘yan eh. Parang halos 11 years ko na silang nakasama,” Belen, who fought back tears, said. “So pag nilook back ko ‘yung panahon ko sa NU, sila agad ‘yung una kong maalala. Hindi ‘yung mga championship. Hindi ‘yung mga trophy, kundi ‘yung mga pagsasama namin. Kasi ‘yun ‘yung hindi mapapalitan nang kahit sino, kung ano ‘yung nabuo naming samahan.”
But that’s not to say that Belen isn’t grateful for experiences she has gained from representing the Blue and White, whether it’s through the several coaches that their core has played under, or the senior stars that guided them as Lady Bullpups, and eventually, Lady Bulldogs.
After all, it’s through these very experiences that one Bella Belen emerged as a star that exits the UAAP as an eight-time champion, and a five-time Most Valuable Player awardee.
Belen was never the most explosive player, nor the most physically imposing. But whatever gifts she lacked was more than compensated for by impressive volleyball smarts, to go along with a champion-level work ethic that turned her into the serial winner that she is today.
“Marami akong natutunan, dumaan kami sa iba’t ibang coaches, ganyan. Talagang ‘yung NU management hindi kami pinabayaan, inalagaan nila kami and hindi nila kami tinuring na basta player lang. Tinuring kami na parang anak talaga sa NU, so malaking part siya ng buhay ko na pwede kong madala sa susunod na career ko,” Belen concluded.
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.