All season long, the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles have been looking for a spark outside of their usual offensive go-to players, Danica Jose and Hazelle Yam.
Opposing teams would often go with a zone defense against Ateneo, knowing the team is the league’s worst squad in terms of three-point shooting.
Fortunately for Ateneo, the shots also came from another Lady Eagle. The timing was perfect, as the team not only broke a four-game losing streak, but also reached a better spot in the women’s basketball standings.
Jollina Go burst onto the scene against the University of the East on Sunday, racing off for a scorching-hot 28 points, including 6-for-8 from three-point area against the UE defense.
With Hazelle Yam struggling in the first half and the Lady Warriors going into a zone, the Lady Eagles’ head coach went with Go for most of the first half. Go did not disappoint as she fired 16 in the first 20 minutes.
“Gusto ko talaga manalo today. Sabi ko sa sarili ko step up talaga kung mag off game si Hazelle (Yam) and Danica (Jose). Sobrang gusto ko pumasok ng Final Four,” Go relayed, after a match that pushed Ateneo to a three-way tie from third to fifth along with UE and UST.
“Training pa lang, sabi ng (coaches) patayan na ‘to. Do or die talaga.”
Go credited her teammates for moving the ball well, and added that her impressive performance was because of the extra effort in training.
“Lahat ng teams zino-zone kami kasi wala nga kaming shooting. Pero training lang talaga (dinaan) and nagpay-off yung hardwork. Teamwork pa rin yun dahil if we did not move the ball hindi ako makakatira.”
Ateneo will round up its elimination campaign against La Salle and Adamson as the team continues to gun for a postseason berth.
“We still need to do extra in training. Mas malakas ang (kalaban sa) next games namin. Kung 100 percent binigay namin dito, siguro kailangan 110 percent sa next.”
