Shaina Nitura may be a rookie, but she’s already playing like a star.
The Adamson University sensation turned heads once again in just her second collegiate game, earning praise from none other than De La Salle University head coach Ramil de Jesus — the architect of the Lady Spikers’ dynasty.
He admitted that Nitura was a major headache for his team in their UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament showdown.
De Jesus finally got a firsthand look at Nitura on Saturday night as the Lady Falcons’ explosive newcomer displayed her sharp court awareness and relentless attacking, making her presence felt against the Lady Spikers.
Despite Nitura’s impressive 16-point performance, La Salle emerged victorious in a tightly contested straight-set battle, 25-21, 26-24, 25-20, securing a bounce-back win.
De Jesus lauded the UAAP Season 86 Girls’ Volleyball MVP for her exceptional skill set, composure, and leadership on the court — remarkable traits for a rookie stepping into the collegiate level.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Yung bata, bata pa talaga pero grabe maglaro.
“Grabe ‘yung instinct, makikita mo ‘yung court IQ niya sobrang taas. At the same time, ‘yung leadership niya talagang siguro pagdating ng sophomore or junior year nito, ibang klase na ‘tong batang ‘to sobra,” said the legendary mentor.
Fresh off a historic debut in Adamson’s season-opening win over Ateneo de Manila University last Sunday, Nitura continued to impress, leading her squad with 16 points in their hard-fought loss to the Lady Spikers.
The 19-year-old outside hitter had already made headlines when she shattered the UAAP rookie scoring record with 33 points in her debut.
She surpassed the 31-point mark set by University of Santo Tomas ace Angge Poyos last season — an early sign of her status as one of the best first-year players in league history.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
La Salle sophomore Angel Canino also praised Nitura for her fearless performance. Canino herself made history two seasons ago as the second player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the women’s division.
Canino noted that Nitura’s diverse attacking arsenal and aggressive style had already posed a problem for La Salle even before their match, prompting the team to make special adjustments in preparation for Adamson.
“Actually, pinahirapan kami niyan sa preparations pa lang. Pinahirapan niya kami kasi sabi nga ni Coach Ramil, ang dami niyang variations as a player and sobrang tapang ni Nitura na kahit sino iharap mo, kaya niyang gawan ng paraan,” said Canino, who finished with 15 points in the win.
“I think pinahirapan niya rin kami kaya isa siya sa mga prinepare talaga coming into this game. Sobrang bilib rin ako sa kanya kasi ang tapang niya talaga humarap sa kahit na sino na parang bang hindi siya rookie.”
