Victoria Adeshina has been a key player for Adamson University’s Lady Falcons, enduring the heartbreak of the past two seasons before finally experiencing success in the ongoing UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Basketball Tournament.
The Nigerian center has been with the team since Season 85, navigating through two frustrating seasons marred by losses before reaping the rewards of hard work and growth this year.
In Adeshina’s rookie year – where she earned a spot on the Mythical Team – Adamson managed just five wins across 14 games, finishing in sixth place.
In Season 86, under new head coach Ryan Monteclaro, the Lady Falcons again placed sixth but with one fewer win, ending the season at 4-10.
This season, however, tells a different story.
By the end of the first round, Adamson holds a solo third place with a 5-2 record, suffering defeats only to powerhouses National University and University of Santo Tomas.
For Adeshina, perseverance and determination have been the key factors for the team’s improvement this year.
“It’s determination,” she said when asked about the difference between this season’s squad and previous ones.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“The team is determined to win. Before, we always said ‘bawi, bawi, bawi,’ but last time there was a lot of ‘bawi, bawi, bawi.’ This time, wala nang bawi. This is it. Laban na, so let’s keep going,” added the 23-year-old center.
With seven more games to go before the Final Four – the Lady Falcons’ primary goal – Adeshina understands that the journey is far from over, despite being two games ahead of fifth-placer University of the Philippines, which stands at 3-4.
Now seen as one of the league’s title contenders, Adamson has a target on its back, with Adeshina, Cheska Apag, Elaine Etang, and Cris Padilla leading the charge. The team knows it will take even more effort to maintain or improve their standing.
“I’m proud of my teammates. I’m really proud of them because everybody has the mindset of winning, so I really appreciate that,” said Adeshina, who averaged nearly a double-double with 10.86 points and 9.71 rebounds in the first round.
“Going into the second round, we keep working. We’re not slowing down; we keep improving.”
