Shaina Nitura made sure to look to her Adamson teammates as the super rookie pushed herself to break the UAAP single-season scoring record.
For Shaina Nitura, it all boils down to her team, the Adamson Lady Falcons, as she once again wrote her name in the UAAP history books.
The super rookie broke the league record for most points in a single season with two games to go in UAAP Season 87. She scored a total of 314 points after the game against the FEU Lady Tamaraws--surpassing the 312 made by Alyssa Valdez for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in Season 75.
Uncorking a fifth 30 point game in her rookie year — the most in UAAP women’s volleyball history — Nitura towed the Lady Falcons past a contending Lady Tamaraws squad in four sets.
[RELATED: UAAP: Adamson spoils FEU’s Final Four plans as Shaina Nitura breaks season scoring record]
Not one to hoard the credit for herself, Nitura said that it was her teammates’ inspired play which motivated her to push herself beyond the bounds of any other women’s volleyball in the UAAP... all while the Lady Falcons are already out of contention of the Final Four.
With Adamson eliminated due to UST’s win over UE earlier on Saturday, Nitura said that it was her teammates that helped her get over the hump.
“Actually, 'yun 'yung pinakanag-fuel sa 'kin,” Nitura said after the game, talking of her teammates.
“Parang ang sarap nilang kalaro, ang sarap nila maging kakampi. Parang ang gaan. Kasi alam kong 'yung gusto ko, gusto rin nila so mas smooth 'yung takbo namin. So sobrang laking tulong nun na ma-push pa ako, magpursigi sa pang araw-araw na training at sa career na meron ako. Kasi nakikita ko na ginugusto rin nila.”
At this point of the season, it’s almost elementary for Nitura to break another long-standing UAAP record.
Having set multiple records before — including the single-game scoring record, the rookie scoring record, and the most 30-point games in a season — it’s almost as if there is nothing new.
But as far as Nitura is concerned, she still has everything to prove to herself and to the rest of the field, especially as she is still in her rookie season.
With two games remaining for Adamson in UAAP Season 87, there is nothing more productive for Nitura than to focus on what lies ahead, and not what she’s already done, no matter how impressive and awe-inspiring her rookie year has been.
“Next time na po ako magmemessage kapag may napatunayan na ako. Wala pa po talaga. Starting palang naman po. [I have] nothing to say about anything, or anyone else.” said the wing spiker.
“Ang fofocus-an ko po talaga is susubukan namin na maangatan pa nang maangatan yung naachieve namin per season,” she added.
Before next season though, Adamson will have another chance at big fish to hopefully finish the season strong as they return after a brief Holy Week break against the DLSU Lady Spikers on Wednesday, April 23, at the Mall of Asia Arena.