Ateneo de Manila University has begun its climb toward the Final Four after a lackluster first round left the Blue Eagles languishing in sixth place in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament.
With expectations high for Ateneo, particularly with two-time MVP Kacey Dela Rosa in her final playing year, the Blue Eagles’ 3-4 record to close the first round fell short of expectations. However, they have started to make amends by taking down opponents that handed them losses in the opening round.
Ateneo secured its second consecutive victory by exacting revenge on University of the Philippines, 76-64, on Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. The win improved the Blue Eagles’ record to 5-5, putting them in fifth place in the tightly contested Final Four race.
Their previous victory came against another first-round tormentor, Adamson University, whom they defeated, 70-52. Both wins also coincided with the emergence of Ateneo’s supporting cast, giving Dela Rosa much-needed offensive help.
“Ang laking bagay if ‘yung teammates ni Kacey makacontribute talaga kasi it lessens the load at mas mahirap kaming bantayan kasi instead of just focusing on Kacey, meron kaming maaasahang shooters,” said head coach PJ Navarro.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Kai Oani, who averaged just 6.75 points in Ateneo’s first eight games, has delivered improved performances during the team’s two-game winning streak, which brought the Blue Eagles back to an even .500 record.
The third-year guard scored 11 points on three-of-four shooting from beyond the arc against the Lady Falcons before tallying 13 points, including three triples, against the Fighting Maroons. Her contributions have made Ateneo a more unpredictable offensive threat, particularly with Dela Rosa no longer shouldering the bulk of the scoring load.
Oani credited the support of her teammates and coaches for helping her overcome the shooting slump that limited her production in the first round.
“My coaches, my teammates, they always tell me to shoot the ball. There was a game, I think against UE, Kacey was getting on me because I wasn’t confident to shoot, so I give it all to them. Even though I didn’t shoot well in the first round, they are still confident in me,” said the Fil-American off guard.
Now at 5-5, Ateneo remains in the thick of the Final Four race, with second-running National University at 6-3 and third-running Adamson at 7-4. Far Eastern University occupies fourth place at 6-4, while UP sits sixth at 4-6.
The Blue Eagles’ confidence has undoubtedly grown following their two consecutive revenge victories, which they hope will serve as a springboard for a stronger second-round campaign.
“It’s more of just evidence of the work that we put in practice and in the offseason. It’s a big motivation for us, so we wanna keep it going in the next games,” said Oani.
“It’s a good feeling na nakabawi kami dito sa second round, but job ain’t done yet. Medyo nagpi-peak nga kami, but again, when we face the other teams, of course they’re gonna prepare for us, so preparation lang ulit, tapos one game at a time, let’s see what happens,” added the first-year head coach.
