Far Eastern University’s quiet hitter Toni Rose Basas has long established herself as a capable supporting act to Bernadeth Pons throughout the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament.
Basas averaged 11.71 points a game during the eliminations, just a few points shy of Pons’ 15.36 average, but Lady Tamarawas head coach George Pascua wants more from his shy spiker.
“Chin [Basas’ nickname] has to step up for us,” said Pascua in Fiipino Friday at FEU gym.
And Basas, who rarely shows any loud expressions during games, said she’s ready for the task at hand.
“What coach said is nothing new to me because he’s been telling me that even in the first and second round of the eliminations,” said Basas. “He’s always telling me that I’m one of those players that this team is relying on.”
Basas, who is on her fourth year of playing for FEU, added that the responsibility Pascua gave her should never be seen as something that would bring upon pressure.
Instead, Basas said, Pascua’s words should be an inspiration for her to push harder in the Final Four against Ateneo.
“I won’t think of this as a negative remark towards me because that would just bring me unwarranted pressure,” said Basas. “I’ll just treat this as a positive remark so I can do my job better.”
Basas, who is aware of her own silent demeanor, added that she can’t be that reserved come the semifinals as she knows she is one of the players in the FEU roster the other Lady Tamaraws look up to.
“I have to talk more during games because I have a tendency of being even more quiet if I make a mistake,” said Basas. “If I make a mistake, I’ll just have to shake it off and enjoy the game so my teammates won’t be affected.”