2025-11-10 09:00

I still remember walking into the Arena last Sunday, the electric atmosphere hitting me the moment I stepped through the gates. There's something special about UAAP women's basketball this season - the energy feels different, more intense somehow. As someone who's been following collegiate sports for over a decade, I can tell you this Season 82 has been one of the most unpredictable and thrilling tournaments I've witnessed.

Right now, the National University Lady Bulldogs are sitting pretty at the top with that impressive 12-2 record. I've watched them play four times this season, and each time they've shown this incredible resilience that just blows me away. Their star player Jack Animam recently said something that really stuck with me: "Hindi sapat yung thank you para makabawi ako sa kanila," referring to how mere thanks aren't enough to repay the NU community. "Iba rin dapat 'yung isusukli ko sa kanila." That sentiment - that need to give back something special - seems to fuel their entire team. You can see it in their defensive intensity, the way they fight for every loose ball like it's the championship game itself.

What fascinates me about this season is how close the race has been. De La Salle University is right there breathing down NU's neck at 11-3, and I've got to admit - their comeback victory against Adamson last week was one of the most exciting games I've seen all year. The Green Archers were down by 8 points with three minutes left, and the way they clawed back just showed this incredible mental toughness. Their captain, Khate Castillo, scored 18 points in that fourth quarter alone, which is just insane when you think about the pressure.

The University of Santo Tomas sits in third place with a 9-5 record, and while they're mathematically still in contention, they'd need some serious help to catch the top two. I watched their game against UE last month, and what struck me was their offensive flow - when they're clicking, they're beautiful to watch. But consistency has been their Achilles' heel this season, something their coach acknowledged in a post-game interview I attended.

Now here's where it gets really interesting for me - the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot. Far Eastern University and Ateneo are both sitting at 6-8, and having watched both teams struggle early in the season, their late surge has been one of the season's best stories. FEU's turnaround particularly impressed me - they started the season 1-4 and looked completely out of it, but they've won five of their last nine games. I was at their game against UP where they erased a 15-point deficit, and the raw emotion from the players afterward was something I won't forget anytime soon.

Ateneo's situation breaks my heart a little, I won't lie. As someone who's always admired their program, seeing them struggle to find their rhythm has been tough. They've lost three games by 3 points or less this season - that's the difference between fighting for a playoff spot and comfortably sitting in third place. Their game against NU last Wednesday was particularly brutal - they led for three quarters before collapsing in the final period.

The bottom two teams, University of the Philippines and University of the East, have had seasons they'd probably rather forget with 3-11 and 2-12 records respectively. But I want to give UE some credit here - I watched them push La Salle to overtime last month, and for a team that's won only two games all season, they play with more heart than you'd expect. Their point guard, Love Sto. Domingo, has been phenomenal despite their record, averaging 14.2 points per game.

What makes this championship race so compelling to me is how personal it feels this year. When you hear players like Animam talk about owing their community more than just thanks, you understand that this isn't just about basketball anymore. It's about representing something bigger than themselves. I've spoken with several players after games, and that sense of responsibility to their schools comes through every time.

The numbers tell one story - NU's 85.7% win rate, La Salle's average margin of victory of 12.3 points, UST's league-leading 72.8 points per game. But what the stats don't show is the heart behind those numbers. They don't capture the determination in a player's eyes during a crucial possession, or the way the bench erupts when a teammate makes a big play, or that special connection between these athletes and their school communities.

As we head into the final stretch of elimination games, I'm putting my money on NU to maintain their lead. Their defense has been consistently outstanding all season, holding opponents to just 58.4 points per game. But if there's one team that can challenge them, it's La Salle - when their three-point shooting is on, they're virtually unstoppable. I was courtside for their game against Adamson where they hit 13 threes, and it was like watching poetry in motion.

Whatever happens in these final games, one thing's for certain - the women's basketball tournament has provided some of the most memorable moments of UAAP Season 82. And for players like Animam who feel they need to give back to their communities, I'd say they're already repaying that debt with the incredible show they're putting on court every game day. The championship trophy is waiting, and honestly, I can't wait to see who claims it.

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