Rebuilding is one of the hardest processes in basketball – especially in collegiate hoops.
You have only a small window due to the limits of allowed playing years that coincide with the years that a student should spend in school.
Luckily for University of the East, its women’s basketball team has head coach Ai Lebornio – who’s not been a first-timer in this process.
The Lady Warriors experienced defeat after defeat over the past five years, with the pandemic making it look longer than it should be.
From one loss, it became a nightmare that expanded to 40 straight losses. A two-point win against University of the Philippines back on September 21, 2019, turned out to be UE’s last for a long time.
That was until the Lady Warriors finally, finally ended what seemed to be a curse on Sunday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
UE had started the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament 0-3.
Then it logged its first win in five years and a day at the expense of De La Salle University, 65-47.
And for Lebornio, this significant victory could be the signal that the process is about to turn its big smile their way.
“Nanalo rin kami,” those were Lebornio’s first words during the postgame press conference.
“Itong game na ito, sa kanila ito, sa mga players ko ito kasi sila yung nagtrabaho. Sila yung talagang gumawa ng sakripisyo.”
Not Her First Time Going Through the Process
Lebornio has been with UE for more than a decade now. She began coaching the Lady Warriors back in Season 76 in 2013.
What she inherited when she accepted the challenge was a team that was coming off a disastrous Season 75, winless in 14 games.
But she took the job anyway. And she went through the whole process with no excuses.
It was never easy but she was willing. In her first two seasons with UE (Season 76 and 77, 2013 to 2014), they won two and three games, respectively.
Then by her third season, UE finally reaped some reward by entering the Final Four to finish in fourth place.
Not content, the ladies of Lebornio pounced even more come Season 79, this time cracking the podium at bronze.
Then the process reached its peak in Season 80 when the Lady Warriors made the Finals but they folded to the dynastic NU Lady Bulldogs.
“Syempre masaya kasi naniniwala ako sa proseso,” said Lebornio after their first win in five years.
“Hindi naman palagi na nasa taas ka ‘eh. Masaya ako kasi nakita ko yung process namin paangat na. Sobrang glory to God dahil yung hirap and sacrifices, nakikita ko sa mga bata na ito. Proseso talaga, process talaga. Hindi ganoon kadali, pero susubukan namin dagdagan pa ito.”
Then it was time for a brand new process.
The Long, Lonely Road in the Process
When the process of rebuilding a program begins, most of the time, it starts heavily.
After finding success culminating in their Finals appearance in Season 80, it was time for Lebornio’s aces to graduate. Eunique Chan and Love Joy Sto. Domingo bade UE adieu.
The process reared its ugly head at UE, sending them down to the cellar of the Season 81 standings with a 4-10 record and it only got worse from there.
The Lady Warriors skidded to 1-13 in Season 82 then an even greater challenge appeared that took the entire sporting landscape by storm – the pandemic.
When the UAAP returned after the long lull, UE was never the same, resulting in two winless years in Seasons 85 and 86.
But Lebornio never lost her head over this. She worked hard in the background despite the losses piling up and frustrations mounting.
“Unang-una kasi galing tayong pandemic that time. So nung pagbalik namin, kung sino lang yung player na nandoon, is ‘yun yung talagang ginamit,” shared the 11-year UE coach.
Lebornio expressed her gratitude to the UE management for allowing her team to play abroad last summer despite two winless seasons.
She also thanked the players’ parents, who gave their full support and trust to Lebornio to make their kids better athletes and individuals.
“That’s why ngayon, talagang nagrecruit kami and binigyan kami ng UE management ng chance na magplay with abroad teams. I think ‘yun yung pinaka the best na nakuha namin, yung experience namin doon sa abroad,” shared the veteran mentor.
“‘Yun yung gusto ko sa mga bata na ito, kahit na rookie, naniniwala kasi ako na may instinct yan ‘eh. Pag nakuha talaga nila yung laro at composure nila, lalabas at lalabas ‘yon,” she furthered.
“Siyempre, yung mga parents na sumusuporta at nagtiwala kasi nung kinukuha at rinerecruit ko yung mga bata, talagang yung parents yung mga kinausap ko para at least, diretso ako sa parents. Para kung ano man yung ibibigay nila na tiwala sa akin, pupunuan ko.”
Back in July, the Lady Warriors traveled to Indonesia to join the Cheng Hoo Cup’s Women’s Open Tournament where they bagged bronze and gained valuable lessons they are now applying in the UAAP.
New Catalysts
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
To end their five-year drought, it needed many moving parts, the most important of which were the arrivals of rookies who believed in the process and the return of a player who knew the feeling of winning.
Jearzy Ganade, part of that UE win over UP on September 21, 2019, made her comeback to the team after missing the past two seasons as she needed to work.
She did her share five years ago against the Fighting Maroons with nine points, 12 assists, and five rebounds. Five years later, Ganade delivered anew with 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
“Sobrang happy ako kasi these past two seasons, wala talagang panalo. Bumalik kasi ako ngayong year lang, nung last two years wala ako,” said Ganade.
“Nung bumalik ako, gusto ko tulungan sila coach and mga teammates ko. Gusto ko noon makakuha ng win, and ito na, grabe, sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam. Lahat ng pagod talagang nawala.”
Then there is promising rookie Rachel Lacayanga.
With her unparalleled confidence on the court, she signals the entry of the new and improved Lady Warriors.
Against the Lady Archers, she put in 13 points and 10 rebounds.
“Ito na ‘yon. Ito na yung start ng UE. Hindi na ‘UE lang,’ ‘UE na ito,” said Lacayanga.
“Hindi na kami papayag na puro na lang kami talo, talagang nagtatrabaho kami para makuha yung panalo.”
Curse Gone, Back to Work
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
With UE finally seeing the results of its hard work, Lebornio urged her team to attack the opportunity even harder.
And even if the Lady Warriors encounter another long drought, or score more surprising victories, expect Lebornio to be the one still applauding this team no matter what.
“Whatever happens, we lose or win, diretso tayo. We win, diretso tayo, okay tayo, pero when we lose, doon pa rin tayo. Hindi tayo mawawala doon sa goal natin.”
