The Letran Lady Knights rode on another superb game from Judiel Nitura on Wednesday to dispose of the Lyceum Lady Pirates and hike their record to 11-0. Afterward, she spoke with Rebanse and shared what maybe obvious by now: Letran is championship-ready.
Even so, the 23-year-old added that the Lady Knights, despite their so far unbeaten showing in NCAA Season 101, haven’t reached their ultimate form yet.
“I think yes [that Letran is championship-ready], pero siyempre hindi pa rito natatapos kase mas kailangan naming lahat na mag-aral pa, lalo kase hindi pa ito ‘yung kaya naming ilabas,” Nitura told Rebanse in an exclusive interview. “I mean, mas marami pa kaming pwedeng ibuga and makinig lang lahat talaga sa mga coaches namin.”
In the Lady Knights’s 11th straight win, Judiel Nitura ended with 14 points, 9 attacks, 1 block, and 4 aces.
Letran Is Learning to Be Consistent, Says Judiel Nitura
If other teams are learning through losses, Letran is learning through wins. According to Niture herself, she and the Lady Knights are still learning how to become stable and consistent with their historic win streak.
“Maging stable and maging consistent siyempre kase hindi palaging madali ‘yung laro eh. So, parang inaaral pa namin kung paano kami kikilos sa loob and as a team para mas lalo kaming magkaisa.”
That learning is paying off as the Lady Knights are now just two wins away from sweeping the elimination round and are already assured of a twice-to-beat advantage come the quarterfinals.
And as the wins keep piling up, the Lady Knights are gaining more and more confidence as well as they enter the playoffs with high hopes of achieving their goal of making it to the finals and finally winning the title.
“Siyempre doon tayo sa mas nagkakaroon ng kumpiyansa kase gamay na namin ‘yung isa’t isa and kilala na namin kung paano kami maglalaro. So, mag-stick lang kami sa sa sistema na mayroon yung mga coaches,” Nitura added. “And laging reset siyempre hindi kami pwedeng basta-basta nag-iisip na ‘ok maging relax’ ganun, siyempre doon pa rin sa goal, which is mapunta kami sa championship and step by step pa rin.”
Letran is now aiming for a 12-0 record as it faces Sam Tiratira’s Arellano Lady Chiefs this Friday, March 6, at San Andres Gym in Manila.
