The De La Salle University women’s basketball took it against a budding National University program in the Finals of the UAAP Season 76 to eventually win its fifth UAAP title.
From that point and the next seven UAAP seasons, that opponent lorded it over the league that included the Lady Archers.
Nonetheless, on that calm Wednesday afternoon, La Salle pulled off something crazy.
For the first time in eight years, the Lady Archers put the one loss in the Lady Bulldogs’ 108-1, after a huge overtime win, 61-55.
“My girls just wanted it more. I give them the credits today. They were the ones making the right decisions on defense. They were the ones making the right decisions on offense,” head coach Cholo Villanueva said of how his wards pulled off the streak-buster.
The former Green Archer himself who turns 40 tomorrow added, “They just don’t want to let go of that ball in their hands every time in every possession. Every time they shoot their shot, they shoot it with confidence. So, credit goes to my girls for playing one heck of a game.”
For 45 minutes, Villanueva rotated just eight players in Fina Niantcho Tchuido, Charmine Torres, Lee Sario, Bettina Binaohan, Luisa De La Paz, Marga Jimenez, Joehanna Arciga, and Jeehan Ahmed.
It was his “perfect” rotation.
“It means a lot. Playing a perfect game against a perfect team to win and end ‘yung streak; that’s what you need to beat a perfect team like NU,” the seven-year Lady Archers mentor shared, who was 0-12 against NU prior to the game.
“My girls played perfectly on offense and on defense. Their hearts were always there; they don’t want to give away that win although we went into overtime. So, our heart, our pride, our competitiveness just went in their every possession.”
That heart showed as despite going with a short eight-woman rotation, the Lady Archers pulled through with the stunner. However, for Villanueva, it was not just about the ladies on the court, but everyone who put their efforts into the training sessions.
“You need the perfect players, the perfect rotation to beat a perfect team. Of course, this wasn’t just eight players, they are 16 players — even 18 players in practices — that’s why these eight players did their job. Because these 18-strong players were doing their jobs in preparation for this game,” he said.
“So, it was a team effort.”
