Camille Claro: The unexpected rookie sensation

To kick off 2014, The LaSallian brings to you five athletes that you may have heard about over the duration of the year gone by for their accomplishments in their respective sports. Despite their impressive body of work though, these five Lasallians have barely scratched the surface, and they are poised to have a breakout campaign during the year 2014. If you haven’t heard of these athletes, it’s time to take note because they just might become the next big Lasallian superstar.

Big moments reveal big talents.

It hasn’t been too long since the DLSU Lady Archers finally clinched the UAAP Season 76 Women’s Basketball championship last October 2013—their first in 11 years. It has not been too long since the second-seeded Lady Archers outplayed the league-leading NU Lady Bulldogs to ultimately snatch the trophy.

The story of how the Lady Archers earned their ticket to that finals showdown is a different story altogether and it is definitely an exhilarating one.

The heroic shot

The UAAP 76 semi-finals match-up between the second-ranked DLSU Lady Archers and the third-ranked UST Tigresses did not come easy for the Taft-based squad. Down by 15 points at the half, La Salle almost faltered as the scoreboard read 66-63 with merely 1.9 seconds left in regulation.

1.9 seconds, that was an ample amount of time to breathe in and out. It was a very brief moment to even think, yet a DLSU rookie by the name of Camille Claro stepped up and showed the league the difference that she can make with 1.9 seconds.

Armed with a sense of urgency, Claro swished a game-tying triple at the buzzer, officially sending the game into extra period. It was a miraculous shot that kept La Salle’s finals’ bid alive. It was the biggest shot of the game and perhaps one of the best plays for the entire season of the Lady Archers. In that moment, La Salle had witnessed the rise of a new pillar in their women’s basketball program.

Being a newbie to the La Salle collegiate basketball system, Claro still admits that she encountered difficulties before her breakthrough performance. “At first, it was hard, but with the support of my teammates and coaches, I gradually adapted [to] our system.”

Humble beginnings

A former standout of the Angelicum College Lady Roebucks, Claro was already a sensational player back in her days at the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA). She was part of the league’s Mythical Five in Seasons 40 and 41, and she was also hailed as season MVP from her rookie year up to her junior year in high school.

Her remarkable rookie performance with the Lady Archers is not much of a new story with reference to her young but flourishing basketball career. In her rookie year with Angelicum, she led all scorers with a game-high 25 points in a championship match against Miriam College. Although her team failed to clinch the championship trophy during that season, Claro still bested all other players in the league by claiming MVP honors.

Claro is also a national youth player and she trained with the RP Youth Team during her younger years. She was even part of the Philippines’ Women’s Under-18 National Basketball team roster for the 2010 FIBA Asia Championship.

On to the next season

“I was very happy and [I feel] lucky considering that I am a rookie and I belong to a champion team,” the Lady Archer rookie sensation proudly declares.

With still four more seasons ahead of her, hopes are high for this prized rookie. Coming off a championship during her rookie year, Camille Claro’s playmaking abilities and sharpshooting skills will surely be a formidable asset for the Taft-based cagebelles for many years to come.

“I will train hard and give my best in every game we play,” Claro guarantees.