This article was first published in the Tampa Bay Times on April 4.
TAMPA — Four years ago to the date, UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez was watching the Bruins men’s basketball team take on Gonzaga in the national semifinal round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
The southern California native was watching as a fan and supportive little sister for Jaime Jaquez Jr., who scored 19 points as a Jalen Suggs’ half-court buzzer beater in overtime ended UCLA’s run from the First Four to the Final Four one win short of the championship game.
Now, the entire Jaquez family will be watching a Final Four again, this time with all eyes on Gabriela.
The junior is an integral piece of a Bruins team that punched its ticket to the program’s first Final Four after defeating LSU 72-65 in the Spokane 1 Regional final; Gabriela led UCLA in scoring with 18 points, and added eight rebounds and three steals.
She will try and repeat her success at Amalie Arena, a little less than 300 miles from where Jaime Jr. has continued to make a name for himself with the Miami Heat.
The second-year small forward finished eighth all-time on UCLA’s scoring list and was a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA draft. The NBA calendar has kept Jaime Jr. busy as the Heat make their final push to the play-in tournament.
“His Final Four was during COVID, so it was definitely different but he kind of mentioned that,” Gabriela said.
Jaime Jr. hasn’t been able to make it to any of Gabriela’s games this season, but with a day off Friday, he’ll be in the building along with lots of family for UCLA’s biggest game of the season.
“He’s just been so busy, we’re both so busy, and we do want to support each other, but it can be hard at times. So I’m just really excited,” Gabriela said. “My whole family is going to be at the game. My younger brother, both my parents; I have about 20 people coming.”
Although the end of the NBA regular season and the start of the play-in tournament on April 15 will take center stage for the Jaquez family soon enough, now all of the focus is on Gabriela and the Bruins.
“My parents are really proud of my older brother, but right now they’re kind of just really proud of me and what we’re doing and my team, and not really focusing on that they had two kids in the Final Four,” she said. “Just kind of focusing on one kid at a time, which I appreciate.”
Women: Final Four
Amalie Arena; Tampa
FRIDAY
• No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 Texas, 7, ESPN
• No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 2 UConn, 9:30, ESPN
SUNDAY
• National championship, 3, ABC
Note: An All-Star Game will be held at Hillsborough Community College, 3 Saturday; general-admission tickets $25. TV: ESPN2
Info: wfftampabay.com
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Thumbnail image caption: UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez cuts the net after the win over LSU in the Elite Eight. [ JENNY KANE | AP ]