As injuries continue to pile up, UP Fighting Maroons Nina Ytang and Irah Jaboneta are refusing to back down in their final UAAP season.
What was once a promising campaign for the Fighting Maroons in UAAP Season 88 has been challenged by setbacks. Joan Monares remains sidelined with a back injury, Jaboneta missed two games due to an undisclosed issue, and prized recruit Casiey Dongallo has been ruled out for the season with an ACL and meniscus tear.
Still, UP’s veteran core is choosing to push forward.
Ytang, Jaboneta Leading UP’s Final Push
With their Final Four hopes hanging in the balance, Ytang and Jaboneta are determined to leave everything on the court in the closing stretch of the eliminations against fellow contenders FEU Lady Tamaraws, UST Golden Tigresses, and Adamson Soaring Falcons.
The duo showed that urgency in UP’s straight-sets win over Ateneo, combining for 30 points to keep their campaign alive.
“Same, ’yon talaga dapat naming isipin—ipanalo ’yung every game namin starting today and in the future,” said Ytang, who finished with 18 points.
“At the same time, i-enjoy ’yung every laro namin. Since this is our last year, we just want to enjoy and hopefully, mapasama kami sa Final Four.”
Jaboneta echoed the same mindset, stressing the need to treat every game as a do-or-die situation.
“Hindi pa tapos ’yung laban, pero hindi ganon kadali kasi naghahabol kami. Each game, kailangan namin i-treat na parang last game namin lagi,” she said after contributing 12 points.
“Sabi nga ni Coach Fabio [Menta], hindi tayo mag-slow down. Kung ano ’yung pinapakita sa training, ilabas lang sa game, at huwag kalimutan mag-enjoy.”
Molding the Fighting Maroons Part of the Bigger Picture
With UP winning just two of its last seven matches, the pressure is mounting—not just to secure crucial victories, but also to end the program’s long Final Four drought.
For Ytang, however, the responsibility goes beyond scoring.
“Of course, nandoon pa rin ’yung pressure na gusto naming manalo. But as a senior, hindi lang dapat sa skill tumutulong—pati sa character and energy,” she said.
“Kung ano na lang ’yung maisip kong gawin sa loob ng court na makakatulong sa confidence ng teammates ko, ginagawa ko talaga.”
Jaboneta, who recently returned from injury, has also embraced the grind, both physically and mentally, as UP faces a daunting final stretch.
“There’s no time to doubt. Kung kaya, ilaro talaga. You’ll never know kung ano ang matutulong mo sa team,” she said. “As much as I can, I’ll give my 101 percent sa loob ng court.”
With everything on the line, Ytang and Jaboneta are making sure their final UAAP run is defined not by injuries, but by resilience.
