For women's basketball to continue rising, Manalo twins stressed need to keep in line with the vision

Before Afril Bernardino and National University came in to established the current dynasty in UAAP Women's Basketball, there were La Salle of Juno Sauler which were led by the Manalo Twins of Jessica and Jessamine in whom they patrol the backcourt.

At a time where Franz Pumaren and his Green Archers led by Renren Ritualo have created a dynasty at the turn of the millennium with a string of four straight men's titles, the Lady Archers also made its own empire in the distaff side almost simultaneously as they also won four in a row from 1999-2002, a feat that was only matched by UST before the Lady Bulldogs breached that with their current and unbeaten run of six consecutive UAAP diadems.

With the twins graced the Off The Record's first live episode last September 11, they told Migs Bustos how much has changed since their last game, wherein women's basketball grew exponentially for the past 18 years since they played their last competitive game.

After all, they have still keeping tabs on the scene even they are out of the hardcourt now that they have a family of their own.

"When we're playing, it's not at the same level yung ngayon as exposure. Because that time, when we're playing, we we're really playing because we love the sport, because we want to represent the school," Jessamine said, in which she and her twin sister went straight to the corporate world after graduation.

As options were limited back then, they reflect on how their love for the game brought them to the current era, wherein professionalism became a reality today when the Women's National Basketball League had a nod from the Games and Amusements Board.

Said Jessica, "What's good about that is that women players now will have an option after graduating. Kasi before, It's either you go corporate or start your own business. For those who wanted to pursue a career in basketball, it was about coaching."

It might be the case of "wrong era" as it was hard to have a league of their own on a consistent basis, with the Women's Philippine Basketball League only played in three seasons as it even went on a eight-year hiatus before playing their last game in 2008.

Jessica even added that she was already set for life after basketball, but if the option to play was still there, she still considered to lace up her sneakers in the next level.

"In my mind, after I graduate, I really pursue a career in corporate. So siguro, if you asked me, I would say no. But maybe if the sport was already a career back then, na parang matagal na siya established, probably It would have changed my mind, kasi before there were no options."

Jessamine joked, "Pasok pa naman tayo sa age limit. So pwede pa."

And now with the WNBL preparing for its firs pro season in 2021, the twins stressed the need to keep with the vision the game had espoused, especially with the tight-knit community that they have.

For Jessamine, the timing is a crucial step to begin with, in order for it not to be a one-off affair.

"Yes it’s the timing. Kaya critical yung that we’re starting," she said, while enumerating the two things that is needed for the ball to get rolling: awareness, and continuous evolution of the game in the long run

"One yung support and awareness for the league. There's already social media, it helps actually create more awareness and to encourage support from the basketball community."

Jessamine added, "I think it's also about the continuous evolution of how women's basketball is playing. Kasi siyempre dapat yung athleticism, nagle-level up in terms of the strategy or the play, it levels up so yun yung thoughts ko about the timing and the success of this pro league."

Jessica even retorted that the league will have to look up to the current generation in order to inspire the future, yet they are cautious to the present cagers to to put pressure on themselves to keep the game growing and thriving in the long run.

"If you have youngsters who will support Afril and see her as someone that they want to be in the future, then it will becomes more sustainable."

With that, they are reminding the people behind the push for professionalization to not lose their focus on the vision that got them there in the first place

"Dapat hindi mawala yung vision nung mga founders to where they want to bring women's basketball. I think they need to stick to that," Jessamine concluded.

"It maybe a difficult journey, but I think it's crucial. Getting there will be yung hard part, but I think siguro we encourage everyone to support women's basketball as it starts."