Ace rookie Shaina Nitura and two-time reigning MVP Josh Ybañez were the stars of their teams in big wins to fan their Final Four hopes in UAAP Season 87.
Star power proved to be the cream of the crop this week in UAAP volleyball as Adamson’s Shaina Nitura and UST’s Josh Ybañez were named the Collegiate Press Corps Players of the Week for the period covering April 2 to April 6.
Ace rookie Nitura, for her part, unleashed a record-breaking fourth 30-point game in Adamson’s four-set shocker over the NU Lady Bulldogs on Sunday night, uncorking 32 points in the unlikely victory that kept the Lady Falcons’ bid for the Final Four alive.
She finished with back-to-back 30 point games for the week, including a 36-point outing in a tough five-set loss to UST in the game prior to their NU victory.
Nitura is the only player in UAAP women’s volleyball history to record four 30-point games in a single season.
Despite this, Nitura kept her focus on the task at hand, which is leading Adamson to the Final Four.
Currently at 4-7 for the season, all games are do-or-die from now on.
“‘Di ko po talaga siya pinapansin [yung records]. Hindi ko po ‘yun masyado nilalagay sa utak ko at sa heart ko. Hindi naman po ‘yun ‘yung goal dahil ‘yung goal po, manalo,” said Nitura.
The high-scoring spiker bested the likes of La Salle’s Angel Canino and Mikole Reyes, UST’s Angge Poyos and Cassie Carballo, and FEU’s Faida Bakanke for the weekly citation handed out by online and print scribes covering the league.
Over on the men’s division, two-time reigning MVP Ybañez is sizzling after fully recovering from a Grade 2 ankle sprain which caused him to miss games for the Golden Spikers.
Ybañez led UST to a 2-0 week with zero sets dropped, with the highlight of his performances coming with a 24-point explosion in just three sets over fellow contender Ateneo Blue Eagles. They are currently riding a three-game win streak at 7-4.
For Ybañez, who hopes to bring UST back into the finals this season, it’s all about bringing what he has to the table time and time again for the Golden Spikers.
“Lagi ko lang iniisip na once na nasa loob ako ng court, I have to do something, na makapag-contribute ako nang marami sa team in all aspects, not just sa attacking pero sa dig, receive, and maraming department ng volleyball especially sa block kasi du’n ako mahina,” he said.
Ybañez beat out teammate Dux Yambao, La Salle’s Noel Kampton and Eco Adajar, FEU’s Dryx Saavedra, and NU’s Greg Ancheta for the citation.
UST and Adamson resume the final stretch of their push for the Final Four against UE and FEU, respectively, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.