Shane Cunanan willed University of the Philippines to victory the way she knows best — by owning the boards.
The 23-year-old forward delivered a monster performance in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament, hauling down a team-high 14 rebounds and pouring in eight of her 15 points in overtime to lift the Fighting Maroons past University of the East, 84-75, on Sunday.
“I’m so very grateful and happy po kasi hindi naman lahat tayo binibigyan ng ganitong opportunity,” said Cunanan, a product of the Montessori School of Jaen.
“Palagi ko na lang din iniisip sa sarili ko na kailangan ko mag-step up kasi not all the time lahat kami fully high energy. Pag may mga teammates ako na nado-down at nafu-frustrate, iniisip ko na lang palagi I need to step up for them.”
With UP struggling to match UE’s grit, Cunanan’s relentlessness proved the difference, helping her squad secure its second straight win to open the campaign.
For a team lacking size, having a 5-foot-9 workhorse willing to battle for every board is a luxury coach Paul Ramos doesn’t take for granted.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Kaya namin siya kinuha,” Ramos said. “That’s exactly the potential that she had, and now it’s not potential already. It’s already kinetic energy that she’s showing. I’m proud of her because she’s living up to what we set up for her. It’s all about her taking it already.
“Binigyan na namin siya ng opportunity. Siya na lang kukuha nun.”
Beyond the numbers, Cunanan showed the willingness to embrace the “dirty work” most players shy away from.
In a league where scoring often steals the spotlight, her ability to sacrifice, hustle, and step up when her teammates falter underscores her value.
Now, the challenge is consistency. Cunanan knows that her rebounding, more than her scoring, will be her anchor as UP faces taller and tougher opponents moving forward.
“Siguro po, magiging consistent ako in terms of not just scoring but for rebounding dahil ayun kasi ang trabaho ko,” she said.
“I don’t care about the score basta gagawin ko lahat ng trabaho ko. Tulad ng sinasabi lagi ni coach, ‘gawin mo lang yung part mo’ para ma-reward ko din yung sarili ko.”
