NATIONAL University stalwart Camille Clarin credited the rise of local talent in the women's basketball scene after the team advanced to the UAAP basketball finals through a manner unusual to the program.
Camille Clarin on Lady Bulldogs' finals return
"I'm happy that we're back [in the finals]. I think it's a different story this year but I think I love that that's the case," said the skipper after their 83-64 beatdown of Ateneo in their Final Four contest on Wednesday.
"We put a different -- As we've heard, women's basketball is getting so much better and the fact that we did take a loss means that everyone is rising to the occassion to push women's basketball forward," she added.
For the first time since the UAAP Season 76 finals in 2013, the Lady Bulldogs lost a game -- a 61-57 overtime loss against La Salle -- which ended the longest win streak in league history at 108.
The loss meant NU had to win one more game in the semifinals instead of outright advancing to the championship series via a 14-0 eliminations sweep.
Clarin was on-point during the crucial tiff, scoring a team-high 19 markers, highlighting their poise and experience against a team that had rookies in over half of its roster.
With the across-the-board improvement in competition, the Gilas mainstay is hopeful that more eyes will focus on the rising women's game.
"It's like a double-edged sword. NU has pushed women's basketball so far it's gone international, it's gone global," explained Clarin.
"We're at the forefront of women's basketball and the fact that our loss also pushed it forward, there's nothing to do but be thankful that people are finally taking notice," she continued.
"And with that comes support, comes sponsorships, comes people, more people watching, and that's what we need for the sport -- to keep pushing forward."
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