From left to right: 13-year-old LJ Makiraya of QC, mentor Sarrah Costan, and 12-year-old Chulzzie Calub, also from QC. Kennedy Caacbay, ABS-CBN News
SANTA MARIA, Bulacan – Sabrina Ionescu traveled to Santa Maria, Bulacan, on Wednesday to connect with her Filipino fans and inaugurate two Girls Got Game basketball courts at Sacred Heart Academy.
Ionescu also held a basketball clinic dedicated to improving the fundamentals of aspiring women athletes and inspiring the next generation to carve their paths in women's hoops.
This served as the New York Liberty superstar's culminating activity of the Philippine leg of her Asia Tour.
Two of the attendees of the clinic shared how Ionescu moved their lives as they met their basketball idol.
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LJ Makiraya, a 13-year-old girl from Quezon City, believes she will apply her learnings today in the future.
"Seeing Sabrina here in the Philippines visiting us is very inspiring and motivating," said Makiraya.
READ: After breakthrough WNBA title, Sabrina Ionescu ready for new challenges
"Kanina po, sobrang na-enjoy ko po and I know to myself na ia-apply ko po 'yung mga naturo niya sa 'kin," she added.
"It's making us feel na dapat mag-strive kami, katulad ni Sabrina, para ma-achieve kung saan siya nakatayo ngayon."
Makiraya hopes to be a professional women's basketball player someday just like her WNBA idol.
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"Someday, sana po maging pro player din po ako tulad ni Sabrina. Sana makapag-compete din po ako sa women's NBA," she expressed.
Chulzzie Calub, a 12-year-old girl who is also from Quezon City, said she learned a lot from Ionescu.
"'Yung karanasan ko kay po ay sobrang saya po na bumisita po siya rito. Marami rin po kaming natutunan tungkol sa basketball, at lahat ng sinabi niya po sa 'min, pumasok naman po sa 'min," Calub expressed.
"Ito po ako, nakita ko po siya, and sobrang saya ko po," she went on.
Meanwhile, their mentor, Sarrah Costan, acknowledged the impact Ionescu had on the kids.
"For me, sobrang laking bagay niya para sa young girls dito sa Philippines, na nakita nila in-person si Sabrina — tinuruan sila mag-shoot, ng skills, kasi nari-realize nila, nakikita nilang ito 'yung pwede nilang ma-achieve," the 28-year-old basketball program director of Girls Got Game said.
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