Heyday is back for UP MBT!
(UP Men’s Basketball team with the hosts of the event. Photo grabbed from UP men’s basketball team official Facebook page.)
The University of the Philippines (UP) basketball is back! The university's 6-8 record for the season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was their winningest season in recent memory.
For the past five seasons, the improvement of UP Fighting Maroons recorded their highest number of wins this season under coach Bo Perasol.
Bo Perasol served the Ateneo Blue Eagles for three years, then transferred to UP Fighting Maroons for seasons 79 and 80, where UP gained their highest number of wins recording five wins and nine losses and six wins and eight losses, respectively.
From being winless in season 76, UP gradually rose, gaining 1-13 and 3-11 records for the following seasons.
Growing number of supporters
As the team improved their standing every season, their handful supporters grew significantly.
Javier Gomez de Liaño, a Fighting Maroon and also a product of UP Integrated School, noticed the emerging number of supporters for the past season.
“Not just this year, napapansin ko dumadami yung supporters talaga,” Gomez de Liaño said in an exclusive interview with the Dapitan Post.
The overwhelming support of the UP community became a motivation for the players.
“We don’t see it as a pressure, we actually like it. We take it as a motivation,” Javier De Liaño said.
Rookie of the year Juan Gómez De Liaño also expressed his appreciation of the UP crowd.
Meet-and-greet with the fans
Despite losing the chance of making it to the Final Four, the University of the Philippines men’s basketball team held a meet-and-greet to express gratitude for their supporters last Nov. 25.
The celebration became an opportunity for the supporters to get in touch with their favorite players through taking photos and talking to them.
The excitement of the crowd grew bigger as the team entertained their supporters by performing a dance number and participating in games like paper dance.
The fans also had a great opportunity of eating with the team in a boodle fight, an extension of the meet-and-greet.
UP Fighting Maroons in Season 81
Javier Gomez de Liaño said the Fighting Maroons could continue their progress despite losing four graduating players.
“Apat lang yung grumaduate sa amin, so basically intact pa rin line-up. We’ll definitely be much better next year,” he said.
In an interview with Rappler, outgoing captain Andrew Harris said UP is in good hands as he rooted for Paul Desiderio and the De Liaño brothers.
"Paul has one more year, Juan is just a rookie [and], Javi is just in his 2nd year." Harris said.
The last time UP won the championship was in 1986, when the team was led by Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc.
