After a Final Four finish in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) return focused as ever. This season preview examines the Blue Eagles’ performance last season and the changes they have made this offseason.
IN STUNNING fashion, the Ateneo Blue Eagles achieved a feat they have not reached since 2015. After four consecutive sixth-place finishes dating back to Season 79, the Katipunan-based squad cracked the Final Four of UAAP Women’s Basketball in the tournament’s 85th season.
After an eventful offseason, Ateneo looks to ride on its feats last year and don the Blue and White with passion and determination once more. Returning Skipper Jhazmin Joson is back to lead the charge for the Blue Eagles alongside fellow co-captain Sandra Villacruz.
Alongside them is last season’s Rookie of the Year Kacey Dela Rosa, who is ready to carry on her stellar performance in Season 85 and take the Blue Eagles to greater heights. With her imposing presence in the paint, center Sarah Makanjoula will be crucial to Ateneo’s success in each game, in addition to key holdovers such as Dyna Nieves and Junize Calago. Last but not least, the brain behind the body of work, coach LA Mumar enters his second stint as head coach of the AWBT.
As a new season approaches, here are a few highlights from the AWBT’s journey to UAAP Season 86, beginning with last season’s campaign.
Season 85: laying the groundwork
Alfonso: The Blue Eagles entered Season 85 with a fresh start, building a relatively new team to make up for departing veterans. Despite a dominant performance in the Marikina City Women’s Basketball League, no one knew what to expect from the young team.
The AWBT opened the new season strong, finishing the first round with a 4-3 record. Despite losses to powerhouses such as the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs and the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers, Ateneo established itself as a team to look out for.
Ateneo experienced a suspense-filled second round of elimination games, as teams were now vying for a place in the Final Four. Although they had captured three more wins, the Blue Eagles remained subordinate against NU and DLSU. An additional upset to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons gave the team a final record of 7-6 to end the regular season. Despite a close win-loss record, the AWBT were able to secure the last Final Four slot after beating the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 65-51.
Pressure loomed over in the Final Four as the AWBT faced the formidable Lady Bulldogs in a single-game elimination bout. Despite attempts by Blue Eagle standouts Sarah Makanjoula and LJ Miranda to cut the double-digit lead, the perennial powerhouse of women’s collegiate basketball composed themselves to end Ateneo’s season, 83-64.
Although the Blue and White’s season ended with a loss, there is much to anticipate. In an interview with Tiebreaker Times, AWBT Head Coach LA Mumar expressed his optimism towards the team’s future. “The foundation has been laid,” Mumar said.
Entering the previous tournament without set expectations, the Blue Eagles’ excellent performance has set a winning standard that will now follow the squad throughout the entire UAAP Season 86.
One step forward
Rav: If the Blue Eagles ever wish to go beyond that standard, they will need the UAAP Season 85 Rookie of the Year Kacey dela Rosa and Team Captain Jhazmin Joson to demonstrate their prowess once again.
The deadly 1-2 punch turned the heads of many last year with their performance. Dela Rosa, in particular, stood out as the prime example. Averaging 14.08 rebounds and 3.08 blocks, the six-foot cager proved to be not only a formidable rim protector but also a dominant force on the boards. Her season-defining moment left the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons breathless as they could only watch her accumulate a ridiculous stat line of 30 points, 20 rebounds, and seven blocks.
On the flip side, Joson orchestrated the entire offense, averaging 11.33 markers and 6.8 assists last season. Her performance established her as one of the best guards in college, having accumulated 20 points and 11 assists in a win against UE the previous year.
Even more impressive than the AWBT’s individual performances was their thunderous chemistry on the court. Dela Rosa’s astute sense of grabbing boards complemented Joson’s role as a floor general, providing more scoring opportunities for the team. Together, they ascended as the premier center-and-guard pair in UAAP 85 for the women’s division. This season, however, the question of many is whether they can continue elevating themselves to a higher level. Luckily for the Blue Eagles, the duo appears ready to take the next step.
During the offseason, Joson represented the Philippines on the international stage at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Australia. The AWBT team captain’s fierce determination to improve was apparent during her 15-point outing against New Zealand in a crucial playoff matchup, proclaiming to the world that she is one of the country’s best.
Furthermore, against Iran in the 2023 William Jones Cup in Taiwan, the Ateneo “Shaq and Kobe” scored 12 points each for the Philippine Women’s National Basketball Team. Their performance demonstrated their capacity to perform even against seasoned international opponents. Notably, dela Rosa delivered an admirable performance even though it was her debut tournament with Gilas.
With their newfound wisdom from the world stage, the two of them will be looking to parlay that into success in the upcoming season. “‘Yung experience sana nila sa Gilas (Their experience with the national team) and Season 85 will hopefully spillover so that we can be a more mature team, and […] get past the Final Four,” Mumar shared.
New Faces
Vincent: From gaining experiences to meeting new faces, the Blue Eagles will also welcome two new recruits into the fold to reinforce a veteran-filled squad. Rookies and former Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars Kyla Mataga and Aishe Solis look primed and ready to make their mark in their maiden UAAP stint.
Graduating high school from the De La Salle Santiago Zobel School (DLSZ), Mataga was a key player in their first runner-up finish in the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (WNCAA) 53rd season, copping Mythical Five honors. The newest Blue Eagle was also a member of DLSZ’s women’s 3-on-3 team that finished second runner-up at the UAAP Season 85 High School Girls 3×3 Basketball Tournament.
Meanwhile, Solis is a product of Corpus Christi School. The Cagayan de Oro-based athlete competed at the 2023 Batang Pinoy Basketball League, winning the silver medal with the Region X – Misamis Oriental squad. Moreover, the former Sealcor Kingfisher also excelled in multiple tournaments at the local level in both 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 tournaments, strutting her skillset and potential.
Charging on with momentum from their Final Four finish in Season 85, the AWBT is ready to take on the UAAP’s best once again with their gained experiences and reinforced lineup. With a veteran-laden squad and a pair of decorated rookies, the Blue Eagles are poised to pose a formidable challenge to any team that stands in their way this season.
This week’s games
Sunday, October 1, 3:00 PM, vs. National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion
Wednesday, October 4, 11:00 AM, vs. De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers, venue TBC
