WOMEN’S basketball in the Philippines is on the up.
National University, led by skipper Camille Clarin, and the University of Sto. Tomas side of head coach Haydee Ong glowed under the bright lights in their well-played UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball title showdown.
READ: Redemption so sweet for NU Lady Bulldogs skipper Camille Clarin
From audiences as small as tens or hundreds in years past, sizable crowds reaching thousands are now filling UAAP match venues to watch women hoop, thanks to the excitement generated by a new breed of players led by Clarin.
UAAP women's basketball has grown so much that it is no longer just a front act or lead-ins for theever-popular men's game.
It's an attraction in itself.
“People are finally starting to recognize that women's basketball is just as exciting, just as competitive [as men’s basketball],” said two-time UAAP champion Clarin.
“Women's basketball is on the rise and I'm glad that we're right there with it, we're leading charge, and the next generation is really gonna feel the impact of it, and I'm so excited for them.”
Jack Animam and the multi-titled NU Lady Bulldogs' dynastic reign, for sure, got fans to take notice and the Gilas Pilipinas Women of Pat Aquino raised the profile of the women's game, but there's nothing like a rivalry to generate attention.
That's what UST's rise last year has done, setting the stage for a rivalry with NU that lured fans to the stands.
“In 2019, you can probably count how many people were in the stands. This time, you really felt the impact of the crowd and it just goes to show that people gravitate towards the things you're passionate about," said Clarin.
“I think we've shown time and time again that with or without support, we're gonna fight, we're gonna give them a good show.”
Champion of women in sports
While Ong and UST yielded the UAAP crown back to NU this year, the greatest silver lining was seeing both schools live up to their billing as modern-day benchmarks.
“Number one, happy ako because of the impact that we’ve created, the UST-NU rivalry for the women’s community. Ang daming nanonood and I’m very happy with that,” said Ong, the concurrent commissioner of the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL).
To have a healthy rivalry with a promising future in the likes of newly-crowned Rookie of the Year and Finals MVP in NU’s Cielo Pagdulagan and UST’s Karylle Sierba among others will only lift the women’s game to even greater heights in years to come.
And they're taking the whole league with them for the great ride.
“I think now that UST and NU have set the bar for women’s basketball, and I think all of the schools as well are doing the same thing, uplifting their women’s programs,” said Ong.
“I am an advocate for women empowerment in women basketball. I am so happy that every season, all the teams are leveling up their skills and program for women’s basketball.”
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