Shaina Nitura’s 38-point explosion vs UP was pushed aside as she opted to celebrate their win over the UE Lady Warriors to start the second round of UAAP Season 87.
For Shaina NItura, her priorities are clear — get the win and nothing else.
As the Adamson Lady Falcons finally snapped a four-game slump against UE on Saturday, Nitura had already moved on from her booming 38-point explosion against the UP Fighting Maroons last weekend, which was a new UAAP women's volleyball record.
Despite her performance making waves across the league, and even pros like Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez and Choco Mucho’s Sisi Rondina giving her the recognition, Nitura wasn’t concerned with her stats.
That is, as long as they didn’t come with the win.
[RELATED: UAAP: Shaina Nitura, Adamson snap 4-game slump at expense of listless UE to start round 2]
Regardless of her scoring game, Nitura was happy to see Adamson get the monkey off of their back after a convincing 25-20, 25-11, 25-21 win over the listless Lady Warriors to begin their second round campaign at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Zeroed in on her team, Nitura said that it didn’t really matter what the stats and records say.
“Since then naman po, nagsimula itong UAAP, our goal was — my goal was to win. Not anything [else]. Not achieving individual records or anything,” said Nitura, who nevertheless finished with a game-high 18 points for Adamson.
“But I’m still grateful na nakukuha ko po yun and binibigay po ni Lord. It’s a bonus but balik parin po tayo sa goal na we want to win. We want to win games. Not set, not records, not anything else. Pero win po for contribution na makaangat kami ng Final Four.”
In spite of Nitura’s success as a scorer, the Lady Falcons had recently endured quite the rough patch, ending the first round on a four-game losing skid. This was party because Nitura had hardly enough support on the points department.
But in a revelation against UE, veteran spiker Mayang Nuique stepped up to the plate. She finished with 11 points, while Barbie Jamili added nine markers of her own.
For Nitura, it’ll take a whole team effort to hopefully get things going for the Lady Falcons. With each game getting more important, she hopes the win over UE is a good harbinger of things to come.
“Yes po, [makakatulong yung teammates ko]. I think yun talaga yun. Since then na mag-start kami ng training, sinusubukan namin i-work na lahat talaga is nadi-distribute ng maayos yung bola. Lahat may ganap sa loob ng court, lahat may role, nagagampanan ng maayos,” said Nitura, admitting it was also a case of building chemistry.
“So, talagang it will take time bago yun mangyari kasi nga given na sinabi nga ni ate Mayang kanina na ang laki ng gap. Most of us are first years, yung mga first six… Up until now, we’re still working. Sana by this round is mas makita yung chemistry namin as a team,” she added.
Up next for the Lady Falcons will be the Ateneo Blue Eagles whom they face next Saturday, March 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
They won over the Blue Eagles in reverse sweep fashion in their opening game of UAAP Season 87 in Round 1.