FOR a generational talent like Adamson super rookie-slash-captain Shaina Nitura, her historic trail in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament has been second to none.
Her list of records with two elimination round matches left is an incredibly long one already, ranging from her five 30-plus point games to her unprecedented debut 33-piece and now the league’s all-time single-season scoring record at 314 points and counting.
READ: 'Super Shaina' breaks Alyssa's single-season scoring record
One might wonder if the 20-year-old winger has some unique or extraordinary practices up her sleeve which might have fueled such a stellar start to her college career.
But as a matter of fact, Nitura isn’t a fan of any of those routinary acts or gestures before taking the taraflex.
“Personally, I don’t know kasi depende naman ‘yun eh. Hindi naman porket kapag mag-pu-push-up ako ng sampung [beses], maganda na ‘yung laro ko mamaya na ‘yung usual ko na agad na ginagawa,” Nitura said.
“Depende pa rin ‘yun sa player on how they take things kasi hindi naman palaging nangyayari ‘yung mga challenges na nangyayari last time sa mga mangyayari pa lang ngayon.”
With the rest of the Lady Falcons, however, there is one simple pre-game practice which has eventually become a team ritual of sorts before games.
“Lagi naman kaming nagpapatugtog ng ‘Free Foundation,’ ‘Confidence,’ ganyan, kay God [religious music] para mabigyan kami ng confidence. Through that, parang nakakausap namin si God na nabibigyan kami ng kumpyansa to play,” she said.
Shaina's faith and strength shine through
Even if a Final Four run in her debut season wasn’t to be, Nitura still takes pride in how she has grown to be a much more fearless player regardless of whether a champion team, a title contender, or a bottom-feeder stands opposite to her on the court.
And it’s not even her record-breaking numbers that prove this claim of hers.
Backed with breakthrough wins over National U and Far Eastern University despite being eliminated, carrying the belief of having nothing to lose and everything to gain has unleashed an even fiercer version of the dominant super rookie.
“Ngayon, para kaming naglalaro lang sa ODL [one-day league] na parang hayahay na lang, laro na lang kasi wala namang mawawala eh. Palo lang nang palo, depensa lang nang depensa, block lang nang block, serve lang nang serve,” Nitura said.
“Wala na talagang takot. Hindi kami pressured to win. Kung kailan hindi kami pressured to win, du’n pa kami nananalo.”
How did such a young rising star already arm herself with a rock-solid ethos? The experience of converting championship heartbreak to an unlikely triumph in the Season 86 girls’ volleyball tournament where the Nitura-led Lady Baby Falcons toppled the NU-Nazareth School dynasty for the school’s maiden title.
“Na-learn ko na lang din nung season namin nung high school na ‘wag matakot sa kahit sinong kalaban. Nothing is impossible, bilog ang bola, gawin mo lang yung best mo, bahala na si Lord sa result,” Nitura said.
“May mga players or teams talaga na tindig pa lang, nakakatakot na. ‘Yun ‘yung nadala ko ngayon sa college na ‘wag matakot o ‘wag magpatinag sa ibang players kasi hindi pa nagsisimula, talo ka na [kapag may takot ka].”
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