SHAINA Nitura wrapped up her UAAP seniors debut with a handful of feats no rookie - or player altogether - has done in league history.
The Adamson rookie-captain fired a staggering total of 371 points in Season 87 built on 333 attacks, 25 blocks, and 13 aces.
Averaging 26.5 points per game in the Lady Falcons’ 6-8 campaign, her final scoring output was 59 more than Ateneo legend Alyssa Valdez’ decade-old record of 312 points back in Season 77.
Such an output was more than enough to also shatter the single-season scoring record in men’s volleyball where Nitura surpassed University of Santo Tomas great Mark Alfafara’s Season 86 production of 344 points.
READ: Nitura pounds on UP to power Adamson to third win in last four games
It may have been a promising run that fell a few spots short of a Final Four breakthrough, but it still produced 14 matches that etched Nitura’s name into the annals of Philippine collegiate volleyball.
Shaina, the very definition of immediate impact
Right off the bat, the 20-year-old winger came out swinging with a single-game rookie scoring record of 33 points in Adamson’s five-set win over the Blue Eagles back in the tournament opener.
She eclipsed Golden Tigresses ace Angge Poyos’ 31-piece which she replicated thrice in her own rookie year.
Then came a series of 30-point performances all throughout the tournament.
In the end, she reached the 30-point mark six times — unprecedented in UAAP volleyball.
Three occasions were winning outings for the Lady Falcons, including her 33-piece against Ateneo, 32 in a four-set upset of defending champion National U, and 37 in another four-set conquest of Final Four-bound Far Eastern University.
The other three herculean efforts didn’t translate to wins for Nitura and the Lady Falcons. These were her single-game scoring record-setting 38 points in a five-set loss to the University to the Philippines, 36 in a squandered five-setter to UST, and 35 in another five-set defeat to La Salle.
After blazing a long and historic trail, how would Nitura describe a rookie year like no other?
Even she doesn’t have the words for it.
As she put it, “‘Di ko po alam kung paano ide-describe [‘yung season na ‘to]. Ano po siguro, God’s will talaga. Sinurrender ko lang po lahat. Lahat po ng nangyari is will niya and magtitiwala pa po ako sa mga seasons na darating pa.”
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