Women’s basketball continued to make great strides as parity flourished in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 with success and headlines not limited to a few.
Five players shone the brightest among the many unforgettable moments that the season delivered, rising to the top and etching their names into the league’s best.
University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Kent Pastrana and Brigette Santos, National University’s (NU) Ann Pingol and Tin Cayabyab, and Ateneo de Manila University’s Kacey dela Rosa will be hailed as the Collegiate Women’s Basketball Mythical Team in the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Awards presented by Strong Group Athletics on 29 June at the Discovery Suites Manila in Pasig City.
In her final year in the collegiate ranks, Pastrana led the Growling Tigresses to their second championship in three seasons while averaging 16.21 points, 6.78 rebounds, 4.36 assists, 2.57 steals, and 0.5 blocks in the elimination round on her way to her fourth UAAP Elite Team selection.
The 5-foot-7 winger from Victorias, Negros Occidental capped her UAAP career not just as a champion but a Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), posting 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 steals in the three-game Finals series against the Lady Bulldogs.
Her teammate Santos also made the CPC Mythical Team, ensuring that UST will remain formidable despite the graduation of Pastrana and Eka Soriano. She tallied 10.29 points, 3.71 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals.
Season 88 MVP Pingol became the first Lady Bulldog to win the top individual award in the league since Jack Animam in Season 80 (2017). She unleashed well-rounded numbers of 14.28 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.14 assists, 3.57 steals, and 1.07 blocks.
NU’s Cayabyab also made the distinguished list for dropping 17.0 points, 5.07 rebounds, 2.64 assists, and 2.2 steals.
Last year’s CPC Player of the Year and two-time UAAP MVP Dela Rosa completed the team for yet another monster season, adding a feather in her cap once more in the annual awards night.
The Blue Eagles recorded 18.36 points, 14.64 rebounds, 2.58 blocks, 2.36 assists, and 1.5 steals in the tournament, leading the league in scoring, rebounding and blocking.
