ON the day before Mother’s Day, Angel Canino and the rest of La Salle already had a gift for all the moms in their lives: a UAAP championship.
Indeed, way before they even arrived at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, Angel made it a point to tell her mother Sol that the former was dedicating the Lady Spikers' title-clinching victory to the latter.
“Kahapon, nagme-message kaming dalawa. Sabi ko kasi, napanood ko yung isang interview nila ni (La Salle courtside reporter) Sophie [Espiritu]. Sabi ko, na-teary-eyed ako sa kanila ni Amie [Provido],” the Canino matriarch shared with SPIN.ph.
“Sabi ko, ‘Go get that 13th championship.’ Sabi niya, ‘Mama, Mother's Day gift ko na 'to sa inyo.’ Siyempre, sobrang na-touch ako.”
Not long after saying those words to her mama, Angel tallied an 11-point, 10-dig, 10-reception triple-double in the green-and-white's second straight sweep to dethrone National U and, more importantly, bring back the championship to Taft.
READ: La Salle towers above all with perfect run in UAAP Season 88
As much as she was proud of her daughter, though, Sol pointed out that the redemption title belongs to all of La Salle, Angel just included.
“Sobrang happy, as in. Actually, I don't take it na Angel and La Salle, it's always La Salle lang. Hindi kakayanin ni Angel kung siya lang mag-isa, so haping-happy ako na lahat sila, maganda ang nilaro, especially ngayong Game 2, talagang nilaban nila,” she said.
“Noong start pa lang ng season, hindi ko inasahan na ganun ka-resilient ang team, ganun ka-cohesive. Sa lahat ng pinagdaanan nila, sa lahat ng sakit ng katawan, napagod, nagbunga na.”
Sweeter the second time around?
While seeing her pride and joy hoist the trophy a day before Mother’s Day will always be special, it wasn't necessarily Sol's first time experiencing it.
In fact, back in Season 85, Angel won Rookie of the Year, MVP, and the championship all on the same day - which just so happened to be Mother's Day, as well.
Still, the Caninos, of course, wouldn't be choosing one title over the other, as both of them are testament to all the struggles that led to all the successes for Angel and the Lady Spikers.
“Ako talaga, pareho lang," Sol answered when asked to compare those two trophies. "Kasi grabe din ang pinagdaanan nila nung Season 85. Basta binigay ni Lord, sweet, sweeter, sweetest lahat."
"Ganun kami ka-happy ngayon. Kaya always yung Mother's Day, parang napaka-significant.”
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