The Phenom has been left in awe with super rookie Shaina Nitura’s record-breaking ways in the UAAP seniors’ division.
Shaina Nitura has more than lived up to the hype since debuting for the Adamson Lady Falcons in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, with her natural athleticism and scoring prowess translating seamlessly to the collegiate ranks.
Only seven games into her freshman year, Nitura has been quick to reset the UAAP’s record books, recently surpassing Alyssa Valdez and Sisi Rondina’s single-game record of 35 points with her own 38-point explosion in a thrilling five-setter against the UP Lady Maroons last March 15.
The super rookie also topped the scoring charts after Round 1 of the Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, finishing with 170 points (24.3 per game) built on 152 spikes, 10 blocks, eight service aces, and a 33.55 percent spiking efficiency.
As Nitura continues with her record-breaking ways, no less than Valdez is rooting for the homegrown star amid her stellar rookie year.
“Well, congratulations! It’s just nice to see this young girl really fly and performing so well in the UAAP! And I hope she actually enjoys the sport more after beating all the records, una pa lang ‘yan and for sure marami pa!” a proud Valdez said when asked about Nitura’s scoring record.
“But I hope she can still enjoy this sport even after, and mas eager and hungry pa siya to learn more about volleyball.”
However, like Valdez and Rondina before her, Nitura’s record-breaking output came in a heartbreaking loss, with Adamson failing to repel UP’s comeback bid in the 25-15, 15-25, 24-26, 25-22, 15-10 affair at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Phenom’s then-historic 35 markers came in a failed 22-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-16, 10-15 comeback bid against Adamson in Season 75, while Rondina matched the record in a similar 19-25, 22-25, 27-25, 25-22, 15-11 loss against Ateneo in Season 81.
A victory would have been the perfect complement to history, but Valdez knows that a crushing loss can and will only add to Shaina Nitura’s desire to unlock her fullest potential.
“Especially in my experience, it taught me a lot. Sometimes as an athlete, you really want to end it with a win eh, but sports teaches us in a hard way,” said Valdez, who surpassed Angela Benting’s 33 points with her own 35-point effort in 2013.
“It teaches things in a hard way, so I hope na mas bumangon pa siya and mas maging resilient siya after this loss, mas talagang pagbutihan pa niya and mas maging collective sila as a team, most especially na ang ganda ng potential ng Adamson,” Valdez concluded, with the Falcons fielding a young core led by Nitura, setter Fhei Sagaysay and foreign student athlete Frances Mordi for Season 87.
Banner images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League and UAAP Media Bureau.