Berberabe eyes winning UAAP exit with Lady Bulldogs

MANILA, Philippines – NU Lady Bulldogs ace playmaker Stefanie Berberabe is optimistic she can end her collegiate career on a high note as she has the chance to win her second career championship and the first with the Sampaloc-based team.

An NAIA champion in the US prior to her one-and-done stint with NU, Berberabe is no stranger to powerhouse programs as she led the Westmont College Warriors to the NAIA title in 2021.

Now with a chance to do it all again in her home country, she’s counting on what the team already has in place to cap off her season on a high.

“I think that personally, I’ve seen the work that all my teammates and coaches have put in day in and day out and I'm confident and believe in my teammates that we’re ready for this moment. We belong. We deserve to be here because of all the hard work we’ve put in,” said Berberabe.

Since joining the fray halfway through the first round, when Berberabe came back from the 2023 Asian Games, the Lady Bulldogs have yet to drop a game where the Filipina-American guard saw action.

In their loss against UP early on in the season, Berberabe wasn’t activated yet as she was dealing with an illness after Asiad.

Now with only two wins standing between her and UAAP glory, the Gilas Pilipinas women stalwart looks to her teammates for support.

Knowing they are more than capable of filling their roles, Berberabe has no qualms in trusting it all to NU’s system and the rest of the 15 girls on the roster.

“Our team has really emphasized staying together, especially right now. We’re just having each other's backs,” said Berberabe. 

“We really wanna play with each other and for each other, especially those who are not with us right now. But just having each other’s backs is something that we are all in for right now.”

NU now awaits the winner of the rubber match between UST and UP on Saturday before they find out their foes for the best-of-three championship. The Lady Bulldogs are chasing an eighth straight championship.