Just four games into the UAAP Season 80 Women’s Basketball Tournament and the De La Salle University Lady Archers are already walking on eggshells.
Last year’s finalists lost their first three games this season, before getting their maiden win against the University of the Philippines, 76-64, last September 23, 2017 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“Sobrang happy pero we’ve been playing against UP for how many years na natatalo namin sila,” commented Lady Archers skipper Marga Dagdagan, who contributed 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in the game. “Dapat yung thinking ngayon is normal lang pero as the captain ball I have to pull them up kase coming from three losses mahirap maglaro nang ganun eh.
“Sobrang masaya kami na finally nakuha naming yung win.”
It may be early in the seaso, but alarm bells are already ringing for the cagers in Taft Avenue.
To put things in perspective, La Salle suffered just three losses in the elimination round last season, and they are in danger of not making the Final Four for the first time since Season 71. Before this win, though, came a painful 84-88 loss against the Adamson University.
“Sa tingin ko masyado naming inisip na we’re gonna win this game, it’s a winnable game,” admitted the fourth-year guard. “So nag-share kami after that day. Marami pala kaming mga bagay na hindi alam sa isa’t-isa na because of that siguro wala kaming connection sa isa’t-isa. Feeling naming yun yung nag-cause sa game against Adamson. And yun basic basketball: passing, turnovers, fouls, those cost the game for us.”
In a sense, this season is also a transition period for La Salle. The Lady Archers welcomed four rookies Marga Jimenez, Bernice Paraiso, Noreen Gabriana, and Lauryn Del Campo to compensate for Snow Peñaranda’s graduation, while Bennette Revillosa and Camille Claro sat out this year due to ACL injuries.
The Ateneo de Davao high school alumna, who is averaging 7.8 points and 4.5 assists this season, shared, “Sa nakikita ko my team is not an old team. My team is composed of two last playing year players so I told (the rookies) na they have to mature quicker.
“They have to think quicker na we have tough basketball in college so you can’t afford to relax, to be bullied inside.”
La Salle have three more games to salvage a respectable first round record. Fellow post-season contenders University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, and University of the East await La Salle in those games, and each game will be a test of character for the Lady Archers.
“We have one week to prepare against UST. We all know UST is a tall team so we will work on aggressiveness, boxing out and taking care of the ball better. We have one week to prepare,” said the Civil Engineering student.
“After this win, yung thinking namin is we can win the game without Camille and Snow Penaranda and the other seniors na nawala.”
