Niña Ytang preaches discipline after 30-point explosion in UP's upset of NU

The UP Fighting Maroons are the first to blemish the undefeated record of the defending champions NU Lady Bulldogs after Niña Ytang scored 30 points in five sets, 26-24, 23-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-12, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

 

Despite being ranked 7th in the league with a 3-5 record heading into the game, UP fought with no regard for NU’s untouched status and sent the defending champs crashing down after an 11-game win streak stretching from the Final Four in UAAP Season 86.

 

[RELATED: UP shocks defending champion NU in five-set thriller behind Ytang’s 30 points]

 

For Ytang, it was one thing to be prepared against the Lady Bulldogs, but it was another to stay in line and pull off the upset of the season.

 

UP’s leverage? Discipline.

 

“Kanina pa namin mine-mention 'yung discipline sa loob ng court. Sabi nga ni Coach [Benson Bocboc] after nung game, itong word na to: ang disiplina, [ang] pwedeng magpapanalo sa amin sa loob, or pwede din siyang magpatalo,” Ytang told reporters after the win.

 

“Pag nawala 'yung disiplina sa loob, matatalo kami talaga.”

 

In stark contrast to UP’s painful 5-set loss at the hands of Ateneo in their last game, the Fighting Maroons stayed steadfast, even as the Lady Bulldogs seized a 12-11 lead in the 5th set thanks to a block by Alyssa Solomon on Joan Monares.

 

But UP, buoyed by Ytang’s career game, marched on and Monares, as luck would have it, avenged herself with an off-speed hit that converted UP’s match point, 15-12.

 

Similar to Monares’ conversion, Ytang said that it wasn’t always about power. Rather, it was about their mindset.

 

“Anong lakas namin pumalo, anong galing namin dumipensa, [kapag] ag walang disiplina, wala talaga mangyayari. Kaya, disiplina lang, sipag lang talaga sa loob ng court,” she said.

 

Now, Ytang will have to be disciplined on a personal note as she has since drawn comparisons to UAAP stars turned pro vets Tots Carlos and Jaja Santiago with her high scoring performance.

 

 

With her 30 points in the win, Ytang scored the highest output by a UP player in a single game since Carlos scored 32 points against UST in UAAP Season 80. Meanwhile, it is also the first time a middle blocker scored 30 points in the UAAP since Santiago did so for NU in Season 79, also against UST.

 

Overwhelmed with the repercussions, Ytang will shift her focus on following up her big performance.

 

“Siyempre, nakaka-pressure. Kasi iisipin ko kung paano ko ipagpapatuloy 'yung gano'ng performance sa next game. Siguro ano lang talaga, sipag lang talaga. Sipag lang. Walang titigil talaga,” she said.

 

Up next for Ytang and the UP Fighting Maroons will be the UE Lady Warriors on Sunday, March 30, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.