In her very first game in the UAAP, Louna Ozar delivered a stellar performance for University of the Philippines.
And it came in the midst of a significant victory as the Fighting Maroons shocked National University, 72-69, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Sunday.
Fresh from her stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the 19th Asian Games, the 19-year-old Ozar displayed maturity beyond her years with a clutch performance.
Ozar helped UP stay in the game with an acrobatic reverse layup with 1:01 left, giving them a four-point lead at 69-65. She also sealed the win by hitting the dagger shot with 2.5 seconds remaining, marking the Fighting Maroons’ first victory over the Lady Bulldogs in 12 years.
The Filipino-French guard finished with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, along with four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block while playing a game-high 30 minutes and 55 seconds on the floor.
But for UP head coach Paul Ramos, such a performance was expected from Ozar despite her young age.
The 5-foot-8 flashy guard was part of ESB Villeneuve-d’Ascq’s youth team in France before committing to the Fighting Maroons last April.
“It’s expected. She’s a competitor, she’s a winner. She has more experience than us coaches,” said Ramos.
“Before the game, I told her to enjoy the moment, the experience, and the game because she knows what to do.”
Ozar, who missed the team’s first two games due to her Gilas duties, was simply excited to finally wear the maroon jersey and represent UP.
“I was really excited for my first game. I missed the first two games, and I saw my team perform really well, and I wanted to join them,” said Ozar, whose traces her roots to Camiguin.
“I was really excited for this because we worked hard from the day I arrived here in the Philippines. We worked especially hard for this upcoming season.”
Ozar and UP now hold a 3-0 record and are aiming to reach the Final Four for the first time since Season 71.
