4 minute read
LJ Miranda
WRITTEN BY BELLE GREGORIO
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CHANGE ISN’T so bad after all—take it from LJ Miranda (4 AB POS) who, at a young age, believed he already identified which sport he would be most passionate about only to be proven wrong. Being one of the faces of the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT), it comes as a surprise that basketball was something LJ started, in his own words, “Super late na.”
Before shooting hoops, the Isabela province local spent most of his days focused on prevailing above the net as a member of his high school’s volleyball team. When he learned that his school was lacking players for their girls’ basketball team, the challenge-obsessed LJ decided to shift gears and try his hand at it.
SHOOTING HIS SHOT
LJ acknowledges the many stereotypes against females who enter male-dominated industries such as basketball. He admitted how easy it is to be thrown off course by people who say females shouldn’t play basketball. Thanks to the support of his friends and family—especially his dad—LJ stood his ground and didn’t allow society’s prejudice to clip his wings. “Basketball became my safe space,” he reveals.
LJ’s wings flew him to the annual inter-school multi-sport event Palarong Pambansa, where he represented Isabela’s women’s basketball team LJ carved a path for himself which was not missed by the vigilant eyes of Lady Eagles scouters.
Persuaded by Ateneo to join the Eagles’ nest, LJ knew how he was bound to soar even higher under the tutelage of the Blue and White.
LIFE FROM THE SIDELINES
After LJ’s debut as a Blue Eagle in the 81st season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), his team experienced a major setback come Season 82 as LJ was sidelined due to a Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) or “runner’s knee” injury. “The scariest part about basketball is that no matter how much work you put in, no matter how healthy you are, it’s never guaranteed that things will always be the same,” he explains.
Little did LJ and the rest of the Lady Eagles know that LJ’s hiatus wouldn’t last for just a year. It wasn’t only LJ whose collegiate career would be put on hold as the COVID-19 pandemic halted all sports events.
When Season 84 saw action again in the first quarter of 2022, 5x5 women’s basketball was not part of the slated sports. Luckily, the 3x3 tournament in Batangas pushed through in June.
Despite having less than two months to prepare, LJ and the rest of the Lady Blue Eagles earned a spot in the Final Four. “My 3x3 experience was a rollercoaster ride... [It was] just overwhelming in general because it’s been so long since the last time I felt that kind of adrenaline rush. 3x3 is played differently and is more tiring than 5x5 so I really had to make sure I was mentally and physically ready,” LJ shares.
ONE-FOR-ALL DNA
LJ has long witnessed how women have constantly been excluded from the sports scene. even mentioning that when he was starting out, there were no available live streams or televised games for 3x3 and 5x5 basketball.
With Ateneo being the first University outside of the United States to be sponsored by the Jordan brand, LJ believes that Jordan backing the AWBT is not solely a win for the Lady Eagles, but a win for women in general.
“Before, it was a challenge to expand the reach of women’s basketball, but now that you see improvement, you become hopeful. There’s a different kind of motivation that you get when you see that what you work for has an effect because there are changes happening,” he expresses.
Given how dedicated LJ is in every aspect of his life, it’s only fitting when you see him in the Jordan campaign commercial, you’ll hear the question: “What’s the value of excellence if it isn’t shared with others?” To this, LJ answers, “It’s about serving who’s beside you on and off the court.”
NEXT QUARTER
The Political Science graduate insists, “Nothing beats the feeling of playing for the Ateneo community and wearing the blue and white once again.” Fortunately, he still has two playing years left as a Lady Eagle. He will be pursuing a Master’s Degree, but if a job opportunity presents itself, LJ says, “I would love to shoot my shot.”
It’s a good thing LJ Miranda knows how to make his shots. This way, those watching on can revel at him swishing his way into life’s hoops again, and again, and again.
