An impassioned Sisi Rondina entered the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Sunday evening.
Her University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses would make the Final Four for the second time in her career, thanks in part to her 21-point output against the FEU Lady Tamaraws.
The Cebuana has pulled out all the stops in her final year as a Golden Tigress, serving as the team’s scoring and emotional fulcrum.
Rondina knows that her team looks to her for leadership. Throughout the tournament, the rest of the Tigresses have been vocal about giving Rondina a fitting end to her collegiate career.
As the elimination round comes to an end, Rondina promises an all-out showing in the following weeks. The 22-year-old spiker wants her teammates to rally around her.
“Ito lang masasabi ko eh, sa opinion ko ha. Ibibilin ko sa mga bata, kailangan kong gawin na pareho kami ng mindset. Ako nga, sabi ko nga, nangangarap na ako na gusto ko umabot sa championship,” said Rondina.
“Ire-remind ko sa kanila ‘yun and gagawin ko ‘yung mga kailangang gawin mapakita lang na gusto ko. Gusto ko maglaro para sa UST, gusto ko ma-pay off ang mga paghihirap namin. And kailangan ko ng lagyan ng actions ‘yan.
“And sa mga bata, ako na bahala sa kanilang sabihin sa kanila na parang, ‘are you with me?’ Parang ganoon, are you with me? Kailangan sama-sama tayo, walang iwanan. And ‘yun nga, sabi ko sa kanila na sana, mabigyan nila ako ng magandang exit,” the four-time UAAP gold medalist in Beach Volleyball continued.
The league’s top scorer has gotten the buy-in from UST’s rookie star Eya Laure, who has imbibed Rondina’s all-in approach.
“Siyempre, as a rookie, andoon pa rin yung mao-overwhelm ka sa dami ng taong nanonood kanina. Malamang, andoon ulit sila. ‘Yung mga ganoon. And siyempre, pag-Final 4, iba na din yung parang labanan. Iba na din yung labanan na mangyayari,” said Laure.
“So ‘wag kaming mag-settle sa hanggang Final 4 lang, ngayon na nasa Final 4 kami. Wait lang Ate Si. Pero ayun, gagawin namin yung best namin, lalo na sa training pa lang, ibi-build na namin yung character na sinasabi ko.”
