Ateneo de Manila University may have already secured its first podium finish since UAAP Season 78 (2015), but inside the Blue Eagles’ camp, there’s no talk of just showing up.
Head coach LA Mumar believes his team is ready to challenge the ultimate benchmark of UAAP women’s basketball over the past decade.
Defending champion National University — winners of eight of the last nine UAAP women’s basketball crowns — has long set the standard for excellence. Yet Mumar isn’t feeling intimidated by the prospect of facing the Lady Bulldogs in the stepladder semifinals.
Instead, he’s embracing it.
Rather than conceding to a formidable NU lineup that boasts presumptive MVP Ann Pingol, Tin Cayabyab, and Aloha Betanio, Mumar is confident that two-time MVP Kacey Dela Rosa, Nigerian center Sarah Makanjoula, and Camille Malagar can deliver on his promise: Ateneo is not just happy to be here. Ateneo is here to win.
“Of course, salute to the NU program. Sila ni UST have been the standard here, pero syempre we want to kind of join the party naman,” the 45-year-old head coach said after the Blue Eagles’ stepladder quarterfinals win over the Adamson Lady Falcons last Sunday, November 30, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
“And hopefully, I think we can say na we can beat them. It’s gonna take a lot of work, but I think we have the materials to beat them.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Ateneo can see its confidence bolstered by its close battles against NU during the elimination round. While the Blue Eagles dropped both matchups — a 79-83 first-round loss and a 47-69 second-round defeat without Makanjoula — Mumar has consistently stressed that his team thrives under pressure.
“I fancy [our chance against NU] very well. I really think that we have a good chance. The second game that we played against them, Sarah [Makanjoula] was not with us because she was suspended. [In the first round,] we almost beat them, but we just collapsed because they have more experience,” Mumar explained.
In recent memory, Ateneo has often been cast as the underdog against powerhouses like NU, Finals-bound University of Santo Tomas, and even Season 87 tormentor Adamson.
But Mumar refuses to label the Blue Eagles as underdogs this time.
Inside the Ateneo locker room, the tone is clear: they believe they can topple the Lady Bulldogs and fight for a spot in the championship round.
“I am not shying away. I’m not going to say na pa-underdog kami, I am not gonna do that,” he said.
“I have to be the first one to believe that we can beat that powerhouse, and I know the girls will follow. We have a good chance of beating them.”
