Being a coach is a thankless job. You get the frustrations of the players and ire of the supporters when you lose, the players get the credit when the team wins. The coach is the soul of the team, the glue that keeps them together, a parent to advise them, a mentor and a teacher who will develop them as players and persons. One who is patient when things go wrong, or when players develop slower than you think they should. The coach is the leader, wherein everyone listens, not what they want to hear, but what they can learn and develop from.
In her maiden season with the UA&P as head coach, Julie Amos has turned things around for the perennial cellar-dwellers, UA&P Lady Dragons. Coming in Feb 2009, the team reached their 1st Finals appearance in MBT on February or March.
A few months later, and losing several veterans to graduation, but compensated with Claire Capisonda's (13) arrival, the Dragons barged into the Finals, with a clean slate of 4-0 at the end of eliminations. However, they faced a tough LCCM Blue Royals squad, led by Mythical 5 members Jennelyn Capistrano and Hazel Mangabat, who gave them heckuva fight, until a last second shot by MVP Ara Biolena sealed their fate for the 3rd and final game of the WNCAA 40th Season, Seniors B Championship.
Currently, the team may be lacking in talent compared to the other teams, but not in defense, heart and hustle. I sense that nobody feels superior within the team, i.e. player A is a star and should have more playing time. Many of them are rookies raw in talent and experience, but the winning attitude of the team has been evident, defeating LCCM Blue Royals in the opening game 57-47. The team is now led by Katrine Catalan (4) who showed her resiliency and skill in the 3rd game of last year's finals via lay-ups and excellent free-throw shooting.
Today, 15th Aug, the Lady Dragons escaped with a narrow win against SSC Scions, 67-57, who wouldn't let up until the last few seconds, with the help of twins Kay and Kate Del Rosario (14 & 15), and backstopped by PG Justine Ferrer (8), who tried to rally their team towards overtime.
Today's game was different as coach Julie shuffled her wards, due to early foul troubles with her starters PG Claire Capisonda (13), and vastly-improved C Mariel Sison (9). This meant calling on the bench, and they have responded well. Especially Patty Regalado (6), who hustled for rebounds and 2nd chance points, which relieved the tired starters and gave them the energy they needed. Capisonda stayed seated on the bench until the dying minutes of the game, this meant coach Julie's confidence in her wards, especially that they all came to play defense, and there was no need to risk Claire of fouling out. Overall, it was a great team effort, though there were lapses when they allowed the Scions to get into the thick of the fight after the 'brown-out'.
Thanks to Richela Solatorio's (11) timely 3-point baskets, Claire Capisonda (13) and Syl Alcantara's (7) exploits that allowed the Lady Dragons to have some cushion in the last few seconds. Costly turnovers in the dying seconds sealed the fate of the Scions.
Team Standings, as of 16th Aug 2010
Basketball
Seniors A Seniors B
Teams W-L Teams W-L
LPU 2-0 CEU 1-1
CSB 2-0 PWU 2-0
UA&P 2-1 MC 1-0
RTU 1-1 EAC 0-0
SSC 0-2 SBCA 0-2
LCCM 0-3
UA&P will have their rest on the 22nd Aug, but will be facing the 4-peat champs, LPU Lady Pirates on 29th Aug 2010. Go Dragons!
Many thanks to the coaching staff of: Julie Amos, Ellie Chua!
The 41st WNCAA opened last 7th Aug 2010 @ Ninoy Aquino Stadium (aka Rizal Sports Complex).
Hosted by CEU Lady Scorpions, the crowd saw a 3 game -bill of basketball.
Here are the results:
Seniors B- CEU vs SBCA, 72-44.
Midgets- St. Paul vs. Poveda, 37-21.
Seniors A- UA&P vs. LCCM, 57-47.
Today, the games were held at Lyceum:
Seniors:
SSC Scions 39- 99 Lyceum Lady Pirates.
Former MVP Jessica Polindey of LPU led the squad. From the onset, their pressure defense caused many turnovers for the Scions. By the 2nd quarter, the game was practically over. The rest of the game seemed like a scrimmage to the Lady Pirates who fielded almost all their players, who were highly skilled as well. Hence, they did not miss the services of former Mythical 5 members, Lalaine Flormata and Arlene Gesalan, who are no longer with the squad.
However, this run and gun team is not at a loss even without their star players, their 2nd unit, led by Jona Yasay is almost as good as the starting unit, with Albiol (8), showing us her flashes of brilliance. I'm betting them to make another Finals appearance with CSB Lady Blazers. Of course, they are the 4-peat champs so you know that they are a deep team.
Meanwhile, the Scions totally missed ex-standout, Pearl Mallada (former Juniors and Seniors Mythical 5 and MVP for SSC), but they still have Ferrer and the twins, Kay and Kate Del Rosario. Also missing is coach Emy Vargas, who led them to a Milo-WBL Championship and 2nd runner-up WNCAA finish in 2009.
CSB Lady Blazers 75- 39 UA&P Lady Dragons.
The Lady Blazers no longer have their big men in Julie Paras and Leonette Salvacion (younger sis of Sunday Salvacion), veteran Monika Reyes, who all have graduated or finished their playing years. Fast guard Angelica Bonleon is now with NU (who was also with FEU Lady Tamaraws before arriving at Vito Cruz).
Since this team is a consistent Finalist, you can't expect them to just wither away. Led by the ever annoying and last year's Mythical selection, Mary Grace aka Aice Dadal (4) who was saddled with fouls from the get-go, courtesy of UA&P's super Soph Claire Capisonda (former super rookie and 1st athletic scholar in the history of the school), who dazzled everyone with her devil drives to the basket. Yet, the Blazers pressure defense cost the Dragons far too many turnovers, which led to easy baskets for Blazers. This tactic is being intensified since losing their big men, the holdovers are Dela Torre (10) and Michelle Sia (8) who are not as good as Paras and Salvacion.
However, they still have their array of speedy and skilled guards in the much-improved Ruth Reforma (9), AC Davao Recruits Zuniga (15) and Mayol (12), Sai Sansaluna (19), and have added ex- CKSC Katherine Merilo (14), who led the CKSC Blue Dragons to a WNCAA and Tiong Lian championships, coupled with Mythical and MVP selections. Together they confused the UA&P offense, which led to hurried shots as well. Although there were flashes of brilliance from the 40th Season Seniors B champion, bouts with inconsistencies proved to be their worse enemy. Also, the lack firepower from the team hurt them, as former Mythical 5 members Roscelle Teotico and MVP Ara Biolena have now graduated. The latter, together with back-up SG Madz Gapit are now concentrating on their studies, Entrepreneurial Management, which requires to run their own businesses prior to graduation.
Returning from last year are: high energy PG's Soph Claire Capisonda (13) (CAS), and the stocky Senior Syl Alcantara (SED), the frontliners in Seniors Abbee Canlas (IMC) and much-improved C Mariel Sison (SED). The rest of the team are either new, or in their 2nd year, but have not seen playing time from last year (raw).
Since Seniors A is a 6-team division: CSB, LPU, UA&P, RTU, SSC and LCCM. We are hoping that UA&P will enter the Final 4 as its modest goal. They just need to be consistent.
