Tacky Tacatac and the UST Growling Tigresses in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Tacky Tacatac may not have won a title in her final playing year, but she is confident that the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses will bounce back stronger next season.
Tacatac finished her UAAP career with the silver medal after UST lost to National University in the winner-take-all Finals Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament.
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It was a heartbreaking ending but the streaky shooter urged her team to keep their heads up and try again in Season 88.
“Sinabihan ko lang yung mga bata na habang umiiyak na ibawi nila ako next season. Happy ako na nakasama ko sila this season sa final year ko. Alam ko naman na next season na talaga magiging malakas yung team even na wala na ako,” Tacatac said.
Tacatac said she is also proud of the growth of the UST program under coach Haydee Ong, who ended NU’s seven-year reign in Season 86.
READ: UAAP: NU holds off UST to reclaim women’s basketball title
And she’s grateful to be part of the storied program, making it to the finals in her last two seasons.
“Grabe talaga yung tinulong sa akin nila coach Haydee. Noong start ko nung 2018 until now, hindi talaga nila ako pinabayaan. Lahat naman ng hinahawakan ni coach, hindi naman niya pinapabayaan and tinutulungan niya talaga,” said Tacatac.
“Grateful ako na kinuha niya ako, rinecruit niya ako, pinagaral niya ako, and ‘yon, super grateful ako sayo coach sa lahat ng payo, sa lahat ng gabay, hindi ako magiging ganito kung hindi dahil sayo. Thank you sa ilang years nating pagsasama and good luck next year, kahit wala na ako, susupportahan ko pa rin kayo.”
Tacatac has yet to reveal what’s next for her basketball career but she vows to keep on helping UST in her life after college.