Finals MVP Tantoy Ferrer left a significant void in University of Santo Tomas after leading the Growling Tigresses to their first UAAP title in 17 years during Season 86.
Despite having seasoned players like Rocel Dionisio, Rachel Ambos, and Nicole Danganan, head coach Haydee Ong faced a challenging task in filling Ferrer’s shoes after she graduated.
The situation became even more difficult when Dionisio missed all second-round games for personal reasons.
However, Ong may have discovered the answer in CJ Maglupay, a 23-year-old sophomore center who has stepped up under immense pressure.
Maglupay’s emergence was evident in UST’s semifinal win against the Adamson Lady Falcons. The UST High School alumna delivered a stellar performance, recording a double-double with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, 11 rebounds, six steals, and two assists.
Her strong presence on both ends of the court helped the second-seeded Growling Tigresses secure a spot in the Finals, where they will face the undefeated National University Lady Bulldogs.
NU earned an automatic Finals berth by sweeping the elimination round.
Maglupay credits Ferrer, now a voluntary assistant coach, for her growth and preparation, as she braces for the challenge of facing NU’s dominant centers Angel Surada and Jainaba Konateh.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Nagre-remind lang siya ng mga need ko i-adjust sa akin since alam ko naman kung gaano kagaling ang isang Tantoy Ferrer. Sobrang laking tulong na nasa bench lang siya at coaching staff namin para kahit kailan na may tanong ako, nandiyan lang siya,” Maglupay shared.
“Magtatrabaho ako ng mas maigi para madepensahan ko sila. Tulad nga ng sinabi ni Coach Haydee at Tantoy, lamang sila sa height. So ngayon pa lang, alam ko na mas aasa pa siya sa akin and sa amin na mga bigs niya para makontrahan mga centro ng NU.”
For her part, Ferrer expressed confidence in Maglupay’s ability to fill the gap she left, alongside the continued contributions of Ambos and Danganan, both of whom are still in the early years of their collegiate careers.
“Ang laking tulong kasi sa team nung rookie and sophomores namin, yung laruan nila parang pang veteran na, hindi na pang rookie at sophomore lang. Ang dami ko nakikita na improvements sa kanila kaya ito, natutulungan nila yung team – sila coach, sila Kent, and mga guards namin na lumalaban,” Ferrer said.
She emphasized the importance of teamwork, noting that the team’s success is no longer centered on star guard Kent Pastrana alone.
“Hindi lang iilang player yung lumalaban, pero limang player na yung lumalaban sa court.”
