Ateneo's Kai Oani hopes to bring her A-game to UAAP Season 88 after having fully adjusted to the Philippine brand of basketball.
Kai Oani will be entering UAAP Season 88 with a chip on her shoulder after failing to make a consistent impact in her rookie year with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Thrust into a compromising position to replace former star point guard Jhaz Joson, Oani had to deal with a lot of adjustments in helping facilitate offense for a team led by two-time UAAP MVP Kacey Dela Rosa and her ‘twin tower’ Sarah Makanjoula.
[RELATED: Ateneo reveals hefty goals for two-time UAAP MVP Kacey Dela Rosa — ‘WNBA, or even Europe’]
But now with a year’s worth of experience under her belt, Oani is raring to give a better showing.
Kai Oani will be eyeing a bigger impact in her second year for Ateneo. | Photo: RM Chua / One Sports
“I’ve been really working on being more aggressive, trying to work on more one-on-one and my shot as well,” Oani told One Sports.
Despite a challenging start to her UAAP career, the new season is also bringing a number of reinforcements for Oani — including new point guards led by another Fil-Am recruit in Hannah Lopez.
Now that the load is a little bit lighter on her shoulders, Oani is eager to get herself going as well.
“It’s been a big help. I don’t have to worry about always bringing down the ball. I can worry about getting my shots in,” she said.
Multiple options
Of course, Oani will still be tasked with facilitating the offense.
But when you have Dela Rosa, Makanjoula, and rookie Candice Udal, who are all expected to be threats inside the paint, Oani will have a good problem of having multiple options to create from.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles will have offensive weapons like Kacey Dela Rosa and Sarah Makanjoula at their disposal. | Photo: RM Chua / One Sports
“For me, it just gives me another option to pass to,” she said, speaking of Udal.
“[It] also opens up for me as well, having another threat on the court. So getting her points in and then it opens up the floor for everyone, and for me as well,” she added.
Most of all, Oani is hopeful to be able to apply all the lessons she’s learned from the past year.
After showing off her prowess in high school in the US, Oani will be looking to become the same threat in the UAAP.
“Definitely, [I] learned to be more aggressive, trying to get my own as well as looking for others. But [I also learned] being a better leader as well on the court and off the court,” she said.
“Having one year experience, I can help the rookies. So, [I’m] just trying to help the team as much as I can,” she added.
Ateneo tests its mettle against the UE Lady Warriors on Wednesday, September 24, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.