Camille Clarin may have led National University in its 72-70 game two finals win over University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum but she almost let her team down when it matters most.
With only 11.5 seconds left on the clock, Clarin could have given the Lady Bulldogs a four-point cushion when she had two free throws to shoot after getting fouled.
However, the 22-year-old shooting guard missed both charities.
Her misses could have been costly as UST’s Kent Pastrana had a corner three right at the end, but the shot failed to go in and NU lived to fight another day.
“Even though CC missed her shots at the free throw line, it doesn’t matter,” said first-year Lady Bulldogs head coach Aris Dimaunahan.
“I just told her next time she’ll knock them down. I believe so much in our players. We really don’t have to talk about those misses because we closed the game with a great defensive stop on the shot of Kent with Stef Berbarabe in her face challenging the shot,” the former interim Blackwater head coach continued.
“Again, I have to give credit to the girls for not giving up.”
For her part, Clarin did not talk about the game’s last plays.
She was more thankful for the fact that the Lady Bulldogs still have a shot at winning an eighth straight championship.
NU already let UST get away once in this finals series and the defending champions are going to make sure that they do not let game three slip away from them.
“Playing in Game Three is definitely unfamiliar territory for us but fighting for a championship is not,” said Clarin.
“We’re just excited for the opportunity that we live to fight another day,” the NU senior furthered.
“We’re not gonna let it slip away from us and we’re gonna do everything we can to make sure we get that championship and it starts tomorrow.”
