They might have been less a Phenom this year, but the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles have been just as dominant.
Season 79 was supposed to be a feeling-out process; a search for who will take on the mantle of Queen Eagle from three-time UAAP MVP Alyssa Valdez. Ateneo, however, morphed into a balanced, offensive wrecking machine. In any given game, the Lady Eagles had a different name on top of the score sheet.
Fueling this charge is luminary setter Jia Morado.
The soft-spoken team captain has reached her peak form in her fourth season. While the Lady Eagles are above-average at best on floor defense and reception, Morado’s quick thinking and risk-taking with her sets has kept Ateneo’s offense dynamic. Without Morado, Ateneo would not be the top attacking team in the league.
On Saturday, the Lady Eagles seek a feat that few teams have accomplished: they can complete an elimination round-sweep of defending champions De La Salle University Lady Spikers.
Ateneo, however, might not have all their key players available, as the coaching staff wants to rest players heading into the Final Four. Already assured of twice-to-beat advantages, Ateneo and La Salle will only be playing for pride and the top seed.
Despite this, Morado trusts that the next woman up will do her best to fill in the gaps in the Ateneo rotation. Getting another win over the Lady Spikers could give the Loyola-based spikers the jolt in confidence needed to take a championship.
“Okay lang naman [na hindi kami kumpleto] kasi in training, we don’t just stay wiht a solid core. Coach Tai makes it a point to use everyone in training para kahit sino ipasok sa game, prepared kami,” Morado told Tiebreaker Times.
“Syempre we want to rack up every win that we can pero with La Salle kasi, ibang preparation naman. We need experience and kahit panalo kami ngayon, meron kaming mga kailangan pa i-improve, and we have five games to prepare.”
A group of confident Lady Eagles can always pull off an upset even against the hungriest of Lady Spikers.
“Syempre ‘yung confidence ng bawat player, kailangan namin this coming La Salle game, kasi kahit sino pwede ipasok eh,” the 21-year-old stated.
“Lahat ng tao sa team namin, kailangan namin for that game.”
For Ateneo, the championship is the ultimate goal. Even if Ateneo-La Salle is the biggest rivalry match in collegiate sports, the Lady Eagles see Saturday’s match first and foremost as a prime learning experience.
“Siguro ‘yung nasa mindset lang namin is we have to practice our consistency talaga, and kung ano yung gagawin namin ngayon, madadala namin sa next game namin, so kailangan gandahan din naman ang laro namin today,” the Ateneo senior declared.
