After two seasons of lacking a towering presence, the Fighting Maroons are beginning to change the equation inside.
A significant sign of that progress came in the form of 6-foot-1 center Blessing Francis, whose breakout performance gave the Diliman-based squad a formidable presence in the paint and reflected the confidence she has gained from her teammates.
“We were able to believe in ourselves more and trust one another to be able to pull this [upset win] off,” Francis said in an interview with Tinig ng Plaridel.
The University of the Philippines (UP) Women’s Basketball Team (WBT) stunned last season’s finalists National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, with an 82-71 upset on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Finding its footing one win at a time, State U is beginning to translate its growing chemistry into results, with its latest breakthrough coming against a familiar powerhouse.
The win marked the Maroons’ first triumph over the Jhocson-based squad since the first round of Season 86, when UP secured a playoff berth before finishing the season with a bronze medal.
With the first round of eliminations nearing its end, head coach Eric Altamirano stressed that the Fighting Maroons still have plenty of room to improve as they continue to adapt to a revamped lineup.
“We’re still a work in progress, pero I like the direction [where] we’re going. They’re getting comfortable playing with each other, and they’re starting to find their identity [as a team],” Altamirano said in the post-game press conference.
A blessed breakthrough
UP shook off an early deficit as Kennan Ka converted a turnaround layup off the glass, while Tiani Abrams followed with a fastbreak finish to hand the Fighting Maroons their first lead of the match, 10-8.
But the early momentum proved fleeting, as turnovers and missed opportunities allowed NU to pull away, with Karl Ann Pingol’s triple leaving State U at a 16-21 disadvantage to close the opening frame.
Refusing to let the gap widen, the Maroons found their way back through Francis’ eight-point production in the paint along with senior Louna Ozar, who attacked the basket and converted an and-one to swing the advantage back to UP, 30-29.
Building on Ozar’s momentum, veteran guard Camille Nolasco sparked the Maroon offense with baskets inside the paint and beyond the arc, powering UP to a 46-42 lead by halftime.
The Diliman-based squad briefly lost control in the third canto as UP’s rebounding struggles and defensive lapses fueled an 11-2 NU run, with Marga Villanueva and Marylene Solis draining triples to put the Lady Bulldogs ahead, 48-53.
UP then clawed back as Francis took over with three consecutive layups, while maintaining a perfect shooting efficiency from the field and the free-throw line to ignite a comeback, 69-63, heading into the payoff period.
Although the Lady Bulldogs threatened to close the gap in the fourth as they capitalized on UP’s offensive lapses to cut the deficit to three, 72-69, Nolasco answered with a triple to extend the Maroons’ lead to six.
Determined not to let their efforts go to waste, Ozar and Francis hustled to the basket to convert layups before Nolasco drained another bucket from downtown to help seal the upset.
With the pressure mounting in the payoff period, Nolasco embraced the responsibility of taking crucial shots, reflecting on the trust that allowed her to step up when the team needed it most.
“I wouldn’t be able to take those shots if ‘di ako pinaniniwalaan [ng] coaches and especially my teammates. Those last three points that I took, it came from Louna,” the guard said in the post-game press conference. “I really just want to give credit to my teammates for always believing in me.”
Anchoring UP’s presence in the paint, Francis tallied a season-high of 24 points, eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block, while Ozar and Nolasco complemented the center’s inside production with 16 points apiece.
In the Lady Bulldogs’ den, Villanueva and Kristine Cayabyab combined for 24 points to lead the Jhocson-based squad’s scoring efforts.
Looking ahead to the Maroons’ next assignment, Francis expressed confidence in the team’s ability to build on its latest performance while recognizing the challenge ahead.
“We believe they [University of Santo Tomas] are leading [in the standings]. We’re not scared of them, but we respect them. And we [will] go into the next game with the belief that we can do better than [we did] this game [against NU] and hopefully, we get the win,” Francis said in an interview with Tinig ng Plaridel.
Now holding a 4-2 record and the second seed in the standings, State U looks to build on its breakthrough win and cap off the first round with another upset against the league-leading Growling Tigresses on Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym.
