The UST Junior Golden Tigresses cap off a dominant UAAP Season 87 with a hard-earned Girls’ Basketball championship.
At long last, the UST Junior Golden Tigresses can call themselves UAAP Season 87 Girls’ Basketball champions after besting the NU Lady Bulldogs, 63-57, in a thrilling Game 2 of their best-of-three finals series at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
With the Tigresses trailing 57-63, Sandra Abrantes kickstarted a blistering 11-0 run in crunch time, which effectively tightened UST’s grasp on the Girls’ Basketball title.
Newly-crowned MVP Barby Dajao showed the way with a 22-point and 15-rebound double-double, followed by Abrantes who scored nine of her 14 points in the Tigresses’ championship-sealing comeback.
“I’m very, very proud of them that they fought, they really fought hard,” UST head coach Sen Dysangco said. “And, of course, with nothing to take away, nothing from NU, they really played well. They prepared for the game, it just so happened we had a few breaks pagdating sa dulo,”
‘Growing the game’
Despite taking place on a Wednesday morning, a solid UST and NU crowd still traveled to San Juan to witness Game 2, which was one of the first things Dysangco pointed out post-game.
“As we look forward, as we try to grow the game, I’m very happy to see a lot of fans watching the game, and for me, that’s yung isa sa pinaka–importante, is that how we grow the game,” said Dysangco, one of Haydee Ong’s longtime assistants in the women’s team.
A sizable audience at the FilOil EcoOil Arena also serves as a learning experience for the Tigresses, and even the Bullpups. After all, one of the UAAP’s best aspects is its loud and passionate fanbases, which these players have experienced at an early stage in their basketball careers.
Such crowds also add to the pressure of carrying school pride, and having experienced that type of feeling is likely something that will help these players mature in the long run.
“I’m very happy for them that they have that mental toughness and emotional stability. To be able to focus on what’s in front of them, not minding all the crowd and all the drums. Bata pa tong mga to eh and makikita mo lang to sa college, sa men’s UAAP game ‘yung ganyang kaingay, right?” Dysangco said.
“But I told them, you know, listen to this, this is music to your ears. Don’t ever think of this pressure, you gotta have to want this to not end, you know? Enjoy it, ‘yung moment na yun. Like yung kanta namin, yung ‘One Moment In Time’. So, ‘yun, ‘yun talaga ‘yung gusto talaga namin.”
Perfect season
UAAP Season 87 will go down as a perfect season for the Tigresses, having combed through the six-game elimination rounds, and repelling a scrappy NU to sweep their best-of-three finals series.
At the same time, this also goes down as UST’s first official girls’ basketball title, coming five years after they were crowned co-champions with Adamson during the inaugural tournament in Season 82, which was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last but not least is the Junior Golden Tigresses’ stacked roster, with three players in MVP Dajao, Rookie of the Year Rhianne Perez, and Katrina Insoy all earning Mythical Five honors for this season’s tournament.
Importance of grassroots programs
Speaking of UST’s three Mythical Five members, Season 87 should also highlight the Tigresses’ grassroots program, which gives the seniors’ team a steady pipeline of young talents for the Women’s Basketball Tournament. Just look at the likes of Brigette Santos and rookie of the year Karylle Sierba, who both played crucial roles in UST’s silver medal finish in the seniors’ tournament.
“We’re trying to build the best high school players and then the best ones will make it to our women’s team. Of course, having said that, hindi naman to a point na we’re not going to recruit dun sa aming college team, pero at least, ‘yung mga nabibigyan natin ng chance yung mga bata to make it,” said the Tigresses’ head coach.
Having a stable grassroots program also ensures a form of continuity, with players already having some form of familiarity by the time they enter the seniors’ team. It’s true that they still need to learn a higher level of play, but at least there will already be some chemistry to lean on amid these learning curves.
“And ang maganda ron is almost always, two years na kami, si [CJ] Maglupay, si [Gin] Relliquette, sila Sierba, sila [Ayesha] Pescador. Very seamless ‘yung transition nila and we’re very happy na ganoon nangyari kasi yun yung parang forecast and foresight namin,” Dysangco explained.
As much as it helps UST, Dysangco also knows that other schools may benefit from their grassroots program, especially if the Tigresses field an intact team for Season 88 and beyond.
“Ayaw namin sila maiwan sa ere, marami naman college is dyan, right? Hindi lang sa UAAP, like, you know, San Beda, Saint Scho and all those,” he said. “And as long as they’re able to play and study like after, makatulong sa pamilya nila sa probinsya, ‘yun lang naman yung pinaka-legacy natin.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.