NU skipper Camille Clarin took one year and two days before redeeming herself in defending UST star Kent Pastrana in the UAAP Finals.
One year and two days — that was how long NU skipper Camille Clarin had to wait before she got the chance to redeem herself in the dying moments of the Lady Bulldogs’ Game 1 escape act over UST, 72-71, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
At the very same venue, Clarin made up for a defensive mistake she made against UST’s Kent Pastrana in the clutch moments of Game 3 of the UAAP Season 86 Finals last year, and this time, with the game on the line, the veteran cager wasn’t about to fall victim once again in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 Finals rematch.
[RELATED: NU completes comeback from 14 down to take Game 1 of UAAP women's Finals over UST]
Defending identical play calls, Clarin clamped down on Pastrana this time, which forced the latter to a bail out pass to the corner where Tacky Tacatac was waiting on a chance for a triple. The UST gunner missed.
After defending the potential game-winning triple, Clarin said that she was glad to have ratified her mistakes, especially after ruminating on it since that stinging Game 3 loss last year.
“That play by play on that last possession, one year and two days ago, it was packaged [as] delivered by Kent Jane. That line has stuck with me for so long and it was the exact same possession this year,” said Clarin.
“And you’re telling me I stopped her? 22 points, six rebounds? Kent is amazing. There’s no stopping Kent. But because my teammates are there, because they push me so hard, I know I’m not gonna let that happen again.”
Despite Pastrana having her way with NU for most of Game 1, Clarin only saw to it that the soon-to-be Mythical Five member wasn’t going to get one more basket on her. Regardless of what happened in the possessions before, it was a defensive stop or bust to win the game.
“If she was scoring 22 points, she wasn’t gonna score 24. That’s all I cared about. It was that last possession. Because that was the possession that’s gonna win the game, and I made sure that no matter what, she was not gonna score,” Clarin said.
“The ball fell in our favor and I guess you do learn from your mistakes. If a mistake sticks with you for a year and two days, if you don’t learn from it, then I don’t know what. But I’m glad I did,” she added.
Among one of the most competitive players in the women’s game, Clarin has embraced her role as a defensive stalwart for head coach Aris Dimaunahan and the Lady Bulldogs. Though defense do not deliver the prettiest of stats, the 23-year-old would gladly seize the effort for her team.
“I think it's always been in the back of my head that all my seniors always tell me I don't have defense. All I know how to do is shoot. And turns out this year, I've shot the worst I've ever shot, but I've played the best defense. And that's the DNA of NU, to be a defender. To take away the strength of the other team,” said Clarin.
“And for me, defense is all effort. Of course, there's film, there's ways to be better at it, but that's what I can control. I can't control half the time if my shots go in…
Yeah, I may have added some moves to the bag, but defense is in my career, and that's effort. And that's what I need to show these girls, that no matter how many points you can score, if you stop that team from scoring more, that's the end of the game.”
Regardless of how she approached her matchup against Pastrana, Clarin acknowledged that the reigning UAAP champion was one of the best players in the game, and was honored to be able to share the court with the likes of Pastrana.
“Great recognizes great. I've been in the league with her ever since. We both came into the league together. She has grown into such an all-around player. She pushes me to be my best. And I'm going to miss this matchup for sure, but I'm so glad that I've learned from my mistakes,” said Clarin.
“It's so hard to guard a player like Kent, and I don't do it alone. There were so many times where our bigs have switched on to her. But when it counted and the matchup was there, I did my job,” she added.
Clarin and Pastrana play another game of their electrifying matchup in Game 2 of the Finals slated on Wednesday, December 11, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.