Kent Pastrana will be back for vengeance come UAAP Season 88 after confirming her return for the UST Growling Tigresses.
Kent Pastrana will be back for the UST Growling Tigresses come UAAP Season 88.
The UST star confirmed her return to the España-based squad after their Game 3 heartbreak against the NU Lady Bulldogs, 78-73, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday, December 15.
In the winner-take-all match, Pastrana finished with just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field, to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists.
This was a far cry from Pastrana’s usual production in Season 86, where she averaged 15.21 points, 8.36 rebounds, and 3.29 assists, en route to her third Mythical Team selection. In Game 1 of this series, Pastrana led all scorers with 22 points. She also had 11 in Game 2.
“Siyempre babalik ako. Babalik ako para kay coach Haydee,” Pastrana told reporters.
“Meron pa ako gustong itupad and i-prove sa sarili ko na ‘yung mga taong hindi naniniwala samin, gusto kong ipakita sa kanila kung ano ‘yung UST. Gusto kong bumawi.”
Pastrana couldn’t contain her emotions after the match, which saw UST nearly pull off the comeback after being down by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Despite coming up short in their hopes for back-to-back titles, the 24-year-old forward is proud of how her teammates stepped up to the plate throughout the Finals.
With Pastrana back for one more season, it will only be graduating senior Tacky Tacatac who will leave the Tigresses’ den.
“Sobrang proud lang ako sa mga kasama ko kasi lumaban sila hanggang dulo. Siguro for me, hindi ko sila naipaglaban lalo na ‘yung promise ko kay Tacky na bibigyan ko siya ng magandang exit pero sobrang proud ako sa kanila, sa ginawa nila,” an emotional Pastrana said.
“Kahit rookie sila, kahit dehado kami, pinakita nila ‘yung tapang nila. Nailaban ‘yung UST kaya sobrang thankful ako sa mga teammates ko and coaches na lumaban hanggang dulo.”
The Growling Tigresses will also still have Brigette Santos, Karylle Sierba, and Angelika Soriano back in Season 88.