After nearly two months on the sidelines, University of the Philippines guard Kaye Pesquera made her long-awaited return to the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament — and she wasted no time reminding everyone what she does best: defense.
The 24-year-old Bacolod native was a steady presence on both ends in UP’s 81-67 victory over the University of the East on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. She finished with nine points and four rebounds in her comeback game.
Pesquera had missed eight games due to a knee injury sustained just before the Fighting Maroons’ campaign began. And in that stretch, UP struggled to find its footing, winless and fighting to keep its flickering Final Four hopes alive.
Determined not to push herself too hard in her first game back, Pesquera anchored her performance on defense — the foundation of her game and her confidence.
“Siguro, nung alam ko na makakalaro ako, kinakausap ko sarili ko,” she said. “Sabi nga ni coach Paul (Ramos), alam niya eager ako to perform pero nandun pa rin mindset ko na di laging mag-score pero nagsisimula ako lagi sa defense.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Watching from the sidelines during UP’s eight-game slump was a tough pill to swallow. Instead of her usual energy on the floor, Pesquera had to settle for being a vocal supporter — a shift that tested her patience and resolve.
But her time away also became an opportunity to grow mentally and physically, strengthening both her body and mindset for this moment of return.
“Sobrang gigil kasi we lost eight games and when nangyari sa akin yung injury, yun yung nagturo sa akin na magpalakas mentally and physically rin,” she said. “Malaking factor siya lalo na mentally yung matututunan namin. Shine-share ko lang yung thoughts and yung nafe-feel ko sa kanila.”
With three games left against Adamson University, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University, the Fighting Maroons face an uphill climb to stay in the Final Four race. Still, Pesquera’s comeback might just be the emotional lift the team needs heading into the homestretch.
“Yung value ni Kaye is very important because of being a stopper. She has a defensive mindset kasi. That is what we’re struggling with in our winnable games. She’s gonna be a big factor, but at the end of the day, it’s gonna be about the whole team pa rin,” said coach Paul Ramos.
“I hope that the growth that she mentioned, we’re gonna really embrace it now. Yung lost time namin sa eight games namin na talo, sana mailabas namin (para) this is not gonna be the last opportunity for us to make the most out of these last three games whatever the result. We’ll do it together, hopefully.”
