Luisa San Juan has found her rhythm at the perfect time, giving Tagaytay-Tol a crucial boost as it heads into the quarterfinals of the 2025 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
San Juan opened the tournament on fire, averaging 17.0 points per game and erupting for 26 in one standout outing. But she hit a slump at the start of the second round, managing just 3.5 points over four games.
But just when the stakes were highest, the Fil-British sniper rediscovered her form in dramatic fashion, pouring in 17 points — including five triples — to lead Tagaytay-Tol to a stunning upset over erstwhile league-leading San Juan-DN Steel last Saturday.
That clutch performance not only salvaged the Patriots’ momentum but also secured them the fourth seed and a twice-to-beat advantage heading into a high-stakes quarterfinal showdown against a dangerous Pangasinan-Solar Home squad.
Determined to bounce back, the former La Salle standout meticulously reviewed her past performances, dissecting what went wrong during her scoring slump — a process that fueled the focus and resolve behind her timely resurgence.
(C) WMPBL
“Siguro kasi, it’s just hinanap ko siya, ‘yung laro ko dati. I did some reviews and all, para akong nag-self check, parang ganun. Kung ano ‘yung kulang ko, ba’t hindi maganda ‘yung nilalaro ko these past few games. Did some review lang,” San Juan told Tiebreaker Times.
“San Juan is one of the best teams, so it’s great if matalo namin sila, which we did. So we’re very grateful, we really just worked. Team work lang talaga and naglaro kami para sa isa’t isa,” she added.
Reflecting on her revival, San Juan — tied with Allan Caidic and Jeff Napa for the all-time single-game UAAP three-point record — said regaining her confidence could be pivotal as the Patriots gear up for a tough quarterfinal clash on Sunday against the Suns, a team they split their regular-season matchups with.
“Getting my confidence back is good for me, especially malakas din ‘yung makakalaban namin next game, which is Pangasinan. Sana makakuha ako ng buwelo from this game,” she said.
Head coach Tito Reyes emphasized that San Juan’s return to form ahead of the quarterfinals is a major boost for Tagaytay-Tol, giving the team another offensive weapon to complement their already balanced attack.
“Malaking bagay na may kumpiyansa na siya, kasi nakukumpleto ‘yung atake namin eh. Kulang kasi kami sa scoring sa four and five positions, kaya siya talaga ‘yung missing link,” Reyes said.
