When the final buzzer sounded at the SM Mall of Asia Arena after National University’s win over the University of the East on Wednesday, Lady Bulldogs assistant coach Ai Lebornio stood still for a moment, quietly taking it all in.
One by one, the players and her fellow coaches walked past her, but she lingered at the sideline — gathering herself, steadying her emotions — before finally stepping forward to join the post-game handshake line.
She needed that moment, because on the other sideline stood the very players she had spent the past several years with. They were the girls she personally recruited, the ones who became part of her dream to bring the Lady Warriors back into contention.
More than teammates, they were family — players she guided, believed in, and grew alongside through years of rebuilding and resilience.
“Syempre ‘yung samahan namin, hindi lang basketball eh. Na-miss ko lang,” said Lebornio, who coached UE for 12 years before transferring to NU prior to the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament.
“Ito ‘yung last batch na nahawakan ko mula pandemic. Sobrang na-miss ko ‘yung mga bata,” she added, pausing for a few seconds to collect herself after breaking down in tears.
Finally, she walked across the court and embraced each player clad in white and red, sharing quiet moments of gratitude and love with the team she once called her own.
And as the UE players gathered at center court to sing their hymn, the veteran coach couldn’t help but raise her fist and quietly join in from afar.
“Siyempre mixed emotions. Na-miss ko ‘yung mga bata eh. Parang mga anak ko ‘yan eh. So ‘yun, happy ako sa improvements nila and hopefully, hopefully makuha nila ‘yung first win,” said the San Juan-DN Steel head coach.
“Nakaka-miss. Since umalis ako, hindi pa ulit kami nagkita ng mga bata. So ngayon ko lang ulit sila nakita. Same ‘yung mga players na iniwan ko don, so ‘yun nga, ‘yung samahan kasi namin hindi natatapos don. Kumbaga, until na maka-graduate siguro sila, I’m proud na makita sila doon,” she added.
Now standing on opposite sides of the court, Lebornio hopes the Lady Warriors — who ended the first round winless — will continue the dream they once shared together: bringing UE back to glory.
“Ako I’m happy, I’m the No. 1 fan ng mga players na ‘yan. Kasi alam ko ‘yung gusto nila, alam ko ‘yung desire to win nila na gusto nilang mana,” said Lebornio.
“Bago ako umalis, sinabi ko naman sa kanila na i-aim niyong manalo, ‘wag niyong tignan na umalis ako. Kung sino ‘man ‘yung pumalit sa’kin, focus kayo sa gusto natin [na manalo]. ‘Wag kayong tumingin kung saan ‘yung losses natin, tumingin kayo, mag-dream kayo na manalo tayo kasi doon magsa-start ‘yung spark eh.”
Even if she’s no longer calling the shots from the Lady Warriors’ bench, Lebornio remains one of the team’s biggest supporters — still cheering, still believing, even from afar.
Indeed, her connection with the Lady Warriors goes beyond the sidelines. It’s a bond built on shared struggles, small victories, and a dream she still wants to see them fulfill.
“Kasi ako nga ‘yung number one fan nila.”
