LIKE MOST women’s sports in the Philippines, women’s basketball has been overshadowed by its widely recognized male counterpart. In the collegiate ranks, all the way to the professional level, men’s basketball has no trouble getting any attention from Filipino—and even international—sports aficionados alike. Unfortunately, this comes in stark contrast to the narrative of women’s basketball.
It was only in Season 82 this year that select games of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Basketball Tournament were streamed online on the ABS-CBN Sports website. To further increase the exposure for these women athletes, the first UAAP Women’s Basketball game to be shown live on television this season will be the showdown between the Ateneo Lady Eagles and the De La Salle Lady Archers.
The match will be broadcasted live on Sunday, October 13, 10:00 AM, on ABS-CBN Sports and Action. Nike Philippines spearheaded this initiative to support female ballers and with their advocacy to prove that girls can play, too.
This Sunday’s game will be the second battle of the season between the archrivals. The first round meeting between these teams held on September 8 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, proved to be nothing short of thrilling. At the end of the 40-minute duel, the Katipunan-based squad escaped with a gutsy 92-90 victory over the Green and White to draw first blood.
Despite the valiant effort of La Salle duo Kent Pastrana and Maureen Okoli, DLSU failed to thwart the balanced Ateneo performance. Pastrana led all scorers with 21 points while Okoli posted an impressive double-double with 19 points and 19 rebounds. For the Lady Eagles, Alyssa Villamor led the charge with 20 points on a 45% shooting from deep. Trina Guytingco also added 15 markers to seal the win.
With playoffs fast approaching, both teams are looking to secure the second round victory in order to get a better footing in the standings. Thanks to the live television coverage, fans will be able to catch all the exciting basketball action.
Lady Eagle Guytingco shared that this opportunity serves as an inspiration for her to keep playing. “It makes me feel more empowered because Nike is taking the initiative to back up female ballers,” Guytingco said. “It’s a great stepping stone because it will encourage others to support us, and will hopefully also encourage other girls to play the sport.”
While there is still a long way to go, fans can rest easy knowing that change is coming in the women’s collegiate basketball scene. Tune in this Sunday at 10:00 am to catch the historical occurrence.
Editors’ note: Selina is currently a member of the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team. She is also a Sports staffer for The GUIDON.
