MANILA, Philippines — CONSISTENCY has been the key for both Colegio de San Juan de Letran and College of Saint Benilde as the group phase of the NCAA Season 101 volleyball tournament nears its end, and at the forefront of it are Gia Maquilang and Reymark Betco.
Maquilang starred for the Lady Knights in victories over Mapua University and the Benilde Lady Blazers, helping Letran remain unbeaten after nine games in Group B and earning the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Player of the Week award presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for February 18 to 22.
The third-year hitter was all over the floor in those two wins, tallying 22 points, 11 receptions, and seven digs in their 26-24, 20-25, 25-17, 25-21 triumph over the Lady Cardinals last February 20.
She followed it up with another all-around performance of 16 points, 18 digs, and 12 receptions on Sunday as they outlasted four-time defending champion Saint Benilde in a five-set thriller, 15-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-15, 15-10.
Despite Maquilang’s impressive surge — which allowed her to edge teammate Natalie Estreller and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta’s Cy Almeniana for the weekly honor — Letran head coach Mayeth Carolino reminded her squad to stay grounded.
“Mahaba pa, nagsisimula pa lang kami,” she emphasized. “Marami pa kaming lapses, so kailangan pa naming linisin yung mga errors namin.”
In the men’s division, College of Saint Benilde’s Betco also claimed the Player of the Week citation after steering the Blazers to a perfect week.
Betco scored 16 points in their 25-19, 25-21, 25-17 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College on February 20, before erupting for 26 points built on 24 kills, one block, and one ace in their 25-20, 25-13, 32-30 sweep of Letran on Sunday, to improve to 6-3 in Group A.
Those performances enabled Betco to outshine teammate Rocky Roy Motol, Letran’s John Wayne Arano, San Beda University’s Axel Van Book, and Perpetual’s Marc Tangon for the weekly award supported by minor sponsors Discovery Suites and Buffalo Wings N’ Things. TMT