Ateneo Blue Eagles superstar Kacey Dela Rosa sharpens the iron as she looks for a redemption campaign in UAAP Season 88.
Count on Kacey Dela Rosa to work as early as the New Year to work on her game ahead of the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ bid in UAAP Season 88 later this year, as she suited up for Gilas Pilipinas U23 3x3 in Manila Hustle earlier this month.
Though having been at the top of her game in the past two years, Dela Rosa has been amiss in making it to the championship round in the UAAP, something that has irked the center for years.
After facing tremendous competition in Manila Hustle, which included some top 3x3 players and an Olympian, she said that it was a big thing that she could take with her once the UAAP season rolls around in the second half of the year.
“Tinake ko siya as an advantage papasok sa UAAP kasi makaka-help siya lalo na maraming mga foreign students na papasok next year, lalo na yung 7-footer ng NU,” said Dela Rosa.
“Siguro [during the offseason, gusto ko rin] ma-learn kung ano yung pagkukulang ko as a player. Ano pa yung kaya kong mabigay sa mga teammates ko. Ayun. Yung improvement lang as an individual.”
During the two-day tournament, where the Gilas Women U23 reached the quarterfinals, it was evident that Dela Rosa already had a lot improvements since her MVP run in Season 87.
Dela Rosa’s game particularly improved in two aspects — her outside shooting and her handles.
Undergoing tremendous pressure from the defense inside, Dela Rosa has learned to add to her arsenal to hopefully make things easier for her back to full-court action with Ateneo.
“Yeah, this offseason nagbe-Better Basketball ako. Shoutout sayo, Coach Patrick [Tancioco], Coach Paul [Bordador]. Tinuturuan nila ako paano mag-handle ng pressure pag nagd-dribble, paano i-attack yung basket. Kaya parang gusto ko rin itry yun dito para pagdating sa UAAP, mas may dagdag na yung skills ko,” said Dela Rosa.
“Now, winowork on ko yung three-point shooting ko talaga para hindi lang ako sa inside. Kasi masyado na ako binabantayan inside the paint eh. So, parang gusto ko naman lumabas sa comfort zone ko,” she added.
Despite the Gilas girls missing out on the podium in Manila Hustle 3x3, no one can doubt the impact of the offseason for Dela Rosa at this early.
If there’s anything to take away from it, though, it is a notice for the UAAP. The whole league is forewarned — a better Dela Rosa is coming for the rest in Season 88.