Ateneo de Manila University asserted itself as serious contenders for the Final Four in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament as the first round came to a close.
Leading the way is reigning league MVP Kacey Dela Rosa, who was named the Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week, an honor supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, with Discovery Suites and World Balance as minor sponsors for the period of October 2 to 6.
The women’s division saw its reigning queen deliver MVP-caliber performances for the Blue Eagles.
Dela Rosa continued to showcase her dominance as a reliable double-double machine, recording 19 points and 13 rebounds in a commanding 90-62 win over UE.
She followed that up with 21 points and 13 boards, although Ateneo fell short in a narrow 58-66 loss to NU.
Standing 6-foot-4, Dela Rosa – who leads the MVP race after the first round – notched her sixth and seventh double-doubles of the season.
Her performances kept her 4-3 Ateneo team on course for a third consecutive Final Four appearance.
It was business as usual for the in-form Dela Rosa this week, as she averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
She outshined UST’s Kent Pastrana, NU rookie Cielo Pagdulagan, and Adamson’s Kem Adeshina for the weekly citation, leading the Blue Eagles in points, rebounds, and blocks during the first round.
Halfway through the tournament, Dela Rosa remains optimistic about Ateneo’s potential to reach new heights in their pursuit of women’s basketball supremacy.
“I think yung performance ko, not enough pa to help the team and to [reach] our goal. Marami pa akong kailangan trabahuhin din para mas maka-help pa sa team namin,” Dela Rosa said.
“Iniisip ko rin yun as an advantage para sa team namin kasi kung naka-double team sa’kin, siyempre, may isang ma-oopen. So ayun lang, shoot lang nila… I think kaya naming mag-champion.”
