Amid a highly physical encounter, Elaine Etang stayed locked in to lift Pilipinas Aguilas past University of Santo Tomas in double overtime to move on the cusp of clinching the inaugural 2025 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Invitational Tournament crown.
Etang drilled crucial baskets both in regulation and in the first overtime, which paved the way for her teammates to finish it off in the second extension and survive an intense, grind-it-out affair against the Growling Tigresses, 95-86, last Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
“Talagang physical ‘yung kalaban namin kasi ano, sila ‘yung champion sa UAAP before so ‘di naging madali para sa amin. Pero ‘yung mindset talaga namin, hangga’t may oras pa hindi kami pwedeng ano, kailangan laban pa rin kami,” said the incoming fourth-year guard from Adamson.
Trailing 72-74 with 14 seconds left in regulation, Chack Cabinbin found Etang on the break, where she drew a crucial foul from CJ Maglupay that sent her to the free throw line. She coolly sank both her free throws to send the game to overtime.
Etang played hero once again in the first overtime, knocking down a clutch three-pointer from the top of the key off another assist from Cabinbin with seven seconds left. But just when the Aguilas thought they had it sealed, Kent Pastrana responded with a cold-blooded buzzer-beating triple to force a second extension.
(C) WMPBL
Still, her efforts proved more than enough, as Trina Guytingco, Mar Prado, Cabinbin, and Cheska Apag took turns delivering the decisive blows that powered Pilipinas Aguilas to a crucial Game 1 victory — bringing them within one win of the championship.
“Yung crucial shot ko is talagang iniisip ko ‘yung process. Hindi ako nag-iisip sa outcome, iniisip ko kung paaano ko ishu-shoot, ‘yung form sa bola, and then hindi ko na mina-mind ‘yung crowd sa labas. Focus lang ako sa self ko kaya ‘yun, focus lang ako sa process and ‘yun lumabas ‘yung outcome,” said Etang.
The 22-year-old guard out of Davao finished with 16 points on 60-percent shooting to go along with four assists, three rebounds, and three steals in the hard-fought victory.
“Hindi naging madali para sa akin, pero inisip ko na si Lord talaga laging nasa tabi ko lang. Pinaubaya ko na talaga sa kanya, so ‘yun. Pini-pray ko kanina kahit nasa loob ako na mag-focus lang ako sa game. Hindi lang naman ako ‘yung gumawa dun, it was a collective effort talaga,” she added.
Aware that UST will come back better and stronger in Game 2, Etang said that the Aguilas must double their effort in hopes of finishing the series, avoiding a winner-take-all showdown, and ultimately securing the inaugural WMPBL crown.
“Kung anong ginawa namin ngayon, which is ‘yung effort, kailangan i-double pa namin sa Game 2. And then hindi kami pwedeng mag-relax since UST ‘yung kalaban namin, hindi nila basta basta ibibigay sa amin ‘yung panalo so continue pa rin kami sa pag-work.”
