A rivalry cut short in college gets a reboot
Theirs was supposed to be a budding power rivalry. Two heavy hitters with the ability to take command of a game with their offense.
But Trisha Tubu eventually turned out to be a one-and-done star for Adamson, and her matchup against National U’s Bella Belen was short-lived at the college level.
Tubu, in fact, remembers the last time the two clashed in the UAAP.
“The last time I played against [Belen] was back in Season 85. That was also my last game [in the UAAP],” Tubu told the Inquirer in Filipino. “They were the ones who knocked us out [in the Final Four]. She was the last opponent I faced in my final game for Adamson.”
They have a chance to rekindle their rivalry again.
Tubu, now playing with Farm Fresh and having collected trophies as one of the league’s finest hitters, collides with Belen and Capital1 at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the PVL Reinforced Conference. And while both teams have amazing imports and are fighting to remain in the win column, the sideshow between the top two young local heroes will be as much of a treat.
“I’m excited [to play against] Bella,” Tubu said.
The feeling seems mutual.
Top overall pick
“It’s a different kind of matchup. That’s why I’m excited. I want to see how we’ll perform against a strong team,” Belen said.
Farm Fresh seeks to stay unbeaten in three games in the Reinforced Conference against a Capital1 side that is fresh from a first win to improve to a 1-1 record.
Belen is starting to make a name for herself as this year’s top overall pick of Capital1 after a decorated UAAP career with three titles and as many as Season MVPs. She also helped Alas Pilipinas reach the AVC Nations Cup final and bag two SEA V-League bronze medals.
Tubu scored 21 points to beat Cignal for Farm Fresh’s best franchise start, 2-0, while Belen showcased her all-around game of 15 points and 14 digs for her first-ever PVL win with Capital1 after fending off Nxled in four sets.
“It feels really good, honestly. I mean, Bella’s amazing too. It’s exciting to think about how it’ll be if we get to play against each other again. I am really looking forward to it,” said Tubu.
The 23-year-old Belen already played Farm Fresh in tuneup games, but she has seen how the Foxies have grown under Italian coach Alessandro Lodi, who has been bringing out the best in Tubu and Co.
“Their coach is really good, and when you look at their lineup, they’re solid and complete. I’m really looking forward to seeing how we can level up our game,” said Belen.
Hard-hitting imports Eli Rousseaux, who set the bar with a 38-point debut for Farm Fresh, and Capital1’s Sasha Bytsenko, who eclipsed it with a season-high 39 in their previous win last week, will be the focus of both squads’ defense.
Other games
Capital1 and Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge De Brito will also be pinning his hopes on locals Leila Cruz, Sydney Niegos, Rachel Austero and veteran setter Iris Tolenada in his chess match against Lodi, who has Ces Molina, Rizza Cruz, Lorene Toring and rookie playmaker Alohi-Robins Hardy.
“Of course, I’m also excited to play against the other Capital players and their foreign player as well,” Tubu said.
Meanwhile, Choco Mucho (1-1) seeks to bounce back against the winless Nxled (0-2) at 4 p.m., while PLDT (2-0) tries to stay unbeaten against Cignal (0-2) at 6:30 p.m.
