By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Negrense Kent Pastrana continued to shine in her final UAAP campaign, but even after producing a career-best performance, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) star insisted that her mindset remains fixed on one thing: getting better every game.
Pastrana erupted for 35 points, 12 rebounds and five steals in just over 18 minutes to spearhead the Golden Tigresses’ 125-50 rout of the University of the East in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, November 12.
But for the senior co-captain, the numbers matter far less than the lessons she can take moving forward.
“Personally, gusto ko lang i-improve pa ‘yung defense ko, and syempre mas maging aggressive pa sa depensa. Alam ko naman na doon, kailangan ako ng mga teammates ko … sa loob ng court,” she said.
Even with UST’s unbeaten run and wide winning margins, Pastrana emphasized that discipline and consistency guide their approach.
She noted that staying sharp, correcting mistakes and reinforcing good habits are crucial as they head into the second round of eliminations.
“Palagi [kong ibibigay] lahat ng makakaya ko sa team para manalo every game,” Pastrana said.
“Of course, as a leader, I’ll do my best palagi para makatulong sa teammates and coaches ko,” she added.
Pastrana, a two-time UAAP champion, echoed coach Ged Austria’s reminder that dominance should never lead to complacency. The Tigresses’ strong start, she said, is not a reason to relax but a challenge to keep raising their level.
“Hindi lang this season ‘yung mas dominant namin kasi since nag-start ako sa UST, mas dominant naman. Pero ‘yung goal namin is, ‘yun nga, gagawin pa rin namin ‘yung makakaya namin this season,” she said.
“Kumbaga hindi kami kampante na zero ‘yung talo namin. Ginagawa pa rin ‘yung best every game … Gusto pa rin namin mas ma-improve pa ‘yung mga mali and maging mas malakas pa ‘yung team namin this season,” she added.
With UST still spotless in Season 88, Pastrana remains committed to continual growth — both for herself and for the Tigresses — as she aims to close her collegiate career on the strongest version of her game yet./ASC, WDJ