University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigress Em Banagua did not start in the team’s decisive 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 sweep against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, April 23.
However, when she was inserted into the match to replace Pia Abbu, Banagua made sure that her presence at the net would be felt. She recorded eight kill blocks to finish the game with 12 points.
“Firstly, malaking tulong ‘yung mga extra [work] namin, lalo na before training. Nag-e-extra 30 minutes kami for blockings. Inaayos namin ‘yung small details kasi ‘yun ‘yung nag-determine kung ginawa namin ng tama ‘yung blockings namin,” she said in a video uploaded by Tiebreaker Times.
After being sidelined for most of the season because of injuries, Banagua returned to court to face her idol, Fighting Maroons middle blocker Niña Ytang.
‘First time ko makalaban si Ate Nina kasi last year, hindi ko siya nakalaban tapos nung first round this season, hindi ko rin siya nakalaban,” she said. “Na-inspire ako because she’s one of the best middle blockers. Tapos naalala ko nung first year ako, palagi ko sinasabi sa kanya na ‘Ate, pabasbas po.”
With UST’s win, the Fighting Maroons had been eliminated from the Final Four competition. Still, Ytang is Banagua’s standard as a middle blocker herself.
“I still look up kay Ate Nina lalo na’t when I looked at her stats, grabe rin ‘yung performance ni Ate Nina. Gawin ko siyang standard as a middle blocker para ma-follow ko ‘yung path niya.
Now that the Golden Tigresses have made it through the Final Four, Banagua admitted that her confidence grew after she delivered her personal-best.
“‘Yung game na ito, na-boost nang malala ‘yung confidence ko kasi lalo na pag galing sa pagiging sidelined, kailangan ko ma-prove sa coaches ko na magamit ako sa court. Parang in the future, ‘yung eight blocks ko, dapat gawin ko na siyang standard. Pero I would not say na standard kasi may mga factors para magawa ko ‘yun. Every day sa training, kailangan ko i-focus ‘yung details sa blocking,” she ended.
The Golden Tigresses will end their elimination round against the defending champions, the National University Lady Bulldogs, on Sunday, April 27, at 5 pm.
