Energy rose even more for the De La Salle University Lady Archers when they turned the match against the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses last Sunday into a virtual all-star affair.
Late in the fourth quarter, Khate Castillo went behind the back for a spectacular pass to teammate Ara Abaca who completed the pick and roll play with a layup.
Later, Camille Claro, the anchor of the Lady Archers’ offense, went coast to coast before dishing out no-look passes to her teammates with ease.
On the bench, the rest of the Lady Archers were celebrating and cheering on their teammates frenetically.
The Lady Archers are surely hard to stop when everyone is having fun, and it is contagious.
For Ara Abaca, who topscored with 14 points and added 12 rebounds and 5 assists, getting into such festive atmosphere for La Salle is a result of their efficient system, which leans on team basketball.
“May tiwala kami sa isa’t isa at nakikinig lang kami sa sinasabi ng coaches na kung may libre, ipasa, at kung open, itira. Lahat pwede maglaro, lahat kaya umiskor at dumepensa. Walang nale-left sa amin habang pataas kani ng pataas,” Abaca shared.
Adjustment was a challenge at the beginning of the season for Abaca, who missed the previous season of UAAP women’s basketball. But La Salle’s anyone-can-take-charge brand of basketball has let her reincorporate herself well into the system.
“Sa una, mahirap talaga dahil ang haba ng pinahinga ko last season. Pero the system is almost the same, may mga binago lang na details,” she said.
“Lahat kasi, pwede gampanan ang role ng iba. Lahat nags-step up. Ako, pwede ako mag-point guard kapag sinabi nila. Lahat kami ready sa binibigay sa aming posisyon.”
Abaca for instance plays the forward spot but under the system, she handles the ball at the high post and reads the offense, allowing guards to play off ball.
The Lady Archers have the second-best assists per game average in women’s basketball at 17.3, and are in solo second in the team standings at 6-1, trailing only unbeaten National University.
In the second round, the Lady Archers hope to do the same: play top-notch basketball while enjoying and having fun.
“Nakakatulong siya dahil maski up and down ang game nakakaboost siya ng energy dahil lahat nagch-cheer. Pagod man o nakaupo lang, lahat kami naghahatakan pataas,” Abaca shared.
It’s how they roll.
