Graduating UST senior Tacky Tacatac tells younger teammates to bounce back stronger after relinquishing title to NU in UAAP Season 87.
UST’s Tacky Tacatac had one request for the Growling Tigresses she leaves behind after exhausting her five years of eligibility for the España-based team.
That is, they avenge their loss after relinquishing the UAAP women’s basketball title to the mighty NU Lady Bulldogs at the end of the Season 87 Finals last December 15. Falling short of a comeback in Game 3, Tacatac herself won’t be back next year for a bounce back season.
[RELATED: NU Lady Bulldogs regain UAAP crown with near-perfect redemption season]
But with a lot of positives to take from this year — including UST star Kent Pastrana returning for another season — Tacatac believes that there was a lot to be excited about next year, even as an outsider.
“Sinabihan ko lang yung mga bata kanina, habang umiiyak, bawi nila ako next season and happy ako na nakasama ko sa kanila this season sa final year ko. Alam ko naman na next season talaga is magiging malakas na talaga yung team namin, even wala na ako,” said Tacatac, who was still emotional after the game.
There was mutual respect between Tacatac and the rest of the Growling Tigresses, but none more so between her and head coach Haydee Ong.
Being under Ong’s tutelage for the whole of her collegiate career, Tacatac was more than grateful for the guidance until making herself the player that she is today, growing under the program in España.
“Grabe talaga yung tinulong sakin nila Coach Haydee. Start nung 2018 til now, hindi talaga nila ako pinabayaan. Lahat naman, lahat ng hinahawakan ni coach, hindi niya talaga pinapabayaan and tinutulungan niya talaga. Grateful ako na kinuha niya ko, ni-recruit niya ko, pinagaral niya ko,” said Tacatac, whose voice broke while speaking to her coach.
“Yun, super grateful ako sayo coach sa lahat ng payo, lahat ng gabay. Ayun. Di ako magiging ganito kundi dahil sayo. Thank you sa ilang years nating pagsasama and good luck next year. Kahit wala na ako, supportado pa rin,” she added.
Ong reciprocated Tacatac’s gratefulness with her own, seeing her player flourish and give tremendous contributions to the Growling Tigresses.
Now heading into a new era, Ong remained optimistic of what is to come, even as one of her most faithful players heads out.
“I would also like to thank Tacky Tacatac for her last playing year for UST Growling Tigresses. What a journey for Tacky di ba? So, I think bottomline malungkot lang kami but again, looking forward for next season. Maraming possibilities, maraming opportunities again to come back stronger,” she said.
As for the next plans for Tacatac, she has yet to reveal her career moves, but of note that she will be eligible to play for UST in an offseason tournament early next year in the WMPBL Invitational.
Ong is the commissioner of the WMPBL, the women’s counterpart of Senator Manny Pacquiao’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.