Shaina Nitura and Fhei Sagaysay view their UAAP seniors’ debut as a major stepping stone in improving a bond that started back in high school.
By the time Shaina Nitura and Fhei Sagaysay entered the seniors’ division for UAAP Season 87, they were coming off a perfect farewell tour in the juniors’ ranks, leading the Adamson Baby Lady Falcons to their first-ever Girls’ Volleyball championship in Season 86.
Having known each other for around three years now, the pair were expected to bring a title-winning chemistry as the young setter-spiker combo leading the Lady Falcons’ rebuilding phase.
But while they did deliver a historic juniors’ title to San Marcelino, Nitura hinted a few months back that their connection wasn’t exactly spared from rough patches, and they were still in the process of mending whatever cracks have formed in their bond.
“Kahit na may chemistry na kami, there are challenges na talaga. And grabe! Ang dami na talaga nangyari, so onti-onti pa naming binabalik, and hindi pa siya 100 percent na bumabalik ‘yung chemistry namin, and hindi pa kami ganong nagco-connect,” Nitura told this writer during Adamson’s Season 87 opener against the Ateneo Blue Eagles last February 16.
Season 87 wouldn’t be any easier for both Nitura and Sagaysay, as their transition into the seniors’ division also acted as a reality check, with their competition being much stronger and wiser as compared to what they were already used to.
Whether it was those heartbreaking five-setters against UP and UST, or the in-game miscommunications, Shai Nitura and Fhei Sagaysay’s longtime connection continued to be tested as they entered the next chapter of their amateur careers.
Nitura, though, believes that their relationship has only gotten stronger through after going through a rollercoaster ride of a collegiate freshman year.
“Actually, malaking tulong siya [Season 87], kasi si Fhei, at times talaga, hindi niya nare-realize unless may sabihin sa kanya, and ganon din naman ako, kailangan sabihin para ma-realize,” Nitura told The GAME in an exclusive interview two months after opening weekend, as Adamson concluded their Season 87 campaign against the UP Lady Maroons.
The Lady Falcons would ultimately finish Season 87 with a solid 6-8 record behind the individual brilliance of both Nitura and Sagaysay acting as their homegrown pillars.
With Sagaysay remaining as her setter, Nitura recorded a historic rookie year, finishing with an impressive 371 points built on six 30-point outings to break longstanding records once held by Alyssa Valdez, Sisi Rondina, and even Mark Alfafara in the men’s division.
Sagaysay, meanwhile, finished Season 87 as the fifth-best setter, tossing up 4.22 excellent sets per frame, only trailing behind DLSU’s Mikole Reyes, Ateneo’s Taks Fujimoto, and former Best Setter awardees in UST’s Cassie Carballo and NU’s Lams Lamina. This, while she continued to refine the longstanding connection she has formed with the super rookie Nitura.
“So I think [Season 87] really helped sa relationship naming dalawa na ayusin talaga, na as much as kaya, hindi na rollercoaster. Alam naman ni Fhei ‘yan, na pinipilit namin i-build ‘yung isa’t isa para pagdating ng game okay kami or ‘di na namin kailangan mag-titigan. Na alam na niya kagad ‘yung set ko,” Nitura said.
“Kasi hindi na dapat kami dumadaan sa phase na ‘yun, na dapat ‘yung ibang teammates ko na ‘yung may ganong phase, kasi technically, since then, magkasama na kami noong high school…So talagang hindi na namin gusto na bumalik kami [sa dati], na ayusin ‘yung relationship namin at ‘yung chemistry namin, pero pinapadaan pa rin kami ni Lord.”
‘Big step’
For her part, Sagaysay believes that Season 87 will be a springboard for better things to come between her and Nitura, knowing that the challenges they have encountered can only make them better heading into Season 88.
As early as now, the rookie setter pointed out how she and Nitura have always kept an open line of communication, which has been crucial to solving any issues they have encountered throughout their rookie year.
“Big step na rin po [ang Season 87] kasi dito po talaga namin uumpisahan lahat, and then thankful po ako sa mga naging challenges namin po this season. And then i-improve pa po namin sa mga upcoming season,” she told The GAME in a separate interview.
“‘Yung every misunderstanding naman is nasosolusyonan namin, then big help na nagko-connect kami then nagko-communicate naman.”
Sagaysay also vouched for Nitura’s impact on and off the Taraflex, especially with the super rookie bringing a natural sense of leadership and assertiveness to accompany her generational talent.
“Sobrang big help din siya sa akin and sobrang grateful po ako to have her. Kasi iba din po talaga yung nagiging impact niya sa amin, sa aming magkakaibigan, sa aming team. So ayun po, sobrang dami niya rin po talagang na-implement sa akin.”
Still, that’s not to say that the pair will be resting on their laurels, knowing that more and more challenges are yet to come as they lead a bright new era in Adamson’s volleyball program.
“I think marami pa po talaga kaming kailangan trabahuhin, lalo na po ‘yung relationship namin and then ‘yung connections in and out. Marami pa rin pong challenges, mga misunderstandings and I think mas kailangan namin habaan ‘yung pasensya po namin,” said Sagaysay.
Added Nitura, “Still working on it pa rin, kasi wala namang natatapos eh, so technically kahit maayos namin, mayroon pa rin problemang darating eh, so we’re just gonna keep on trying to fix things.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.