WHEN he came home to Diliman to coach his former team, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in Season 79 of the basketball tournament of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), Dolreich “Bo” Perasol had a very modest goal.
All he wanted was for the team to pick up more victories than it did the previous season. The Maroons had won three in Season 78, two better than it did in Season 77, which was one sole victory that the community celebrated with a bonfire at the Sunken Garden of UP Diliman.
That’s how hard to come by won basketball games had become in the Republic of Diliman. About that bonfire, Season 77 team captain JR Gallarza wondered why a single win could trigger such a response reserved only for championship honors. He was grateful for the support, but inwardly seethed, vowing that he and the team should wage a bigger battle against mediocrity.
Perasol came home to that situation. And noticed right off that indeed, the Fighting Maroons had been living with a mindset that accepted the mediocre as a way of life, that lameness that tolerated the thought of just making do. That hesitation to break out of the mold and just dare to win, to be better than what they already were was nonexistent.
In Season 79, Bo said the first order of the day was to make the Fighting Maroons believe they could win. He correctly diagnosed that it was just a fear of flying, so to speak. So slowly, surely he plucked feathers here and there and planted them on his players. In due time they were airborne, and at special moments, they soared.
In Season 79, the Fighting Maroons pulled off 5 wins, four better than in Season 77, and miles away from their winless Seasons 70, 73 and 76.
Victory can be addictive, and as the buzzer sounded the end of Season 79 Basketball with a De La Salle championship, the Fighting Maroons started to work on Season 80. Offline they made headways, joining tournaments here and there, looking for pieces far and near, while strengthening the bonds of brotherhood with the core.
An alumni group, #nowheretogobutUP, became the team’s and the whole UP sports program’s catalyst. It helped with finances, mobilization, recruitment, morale boosting, recovery meals, in big and little ways. It involved not just one or two fraternities and school organizations like before, but was a groundswell of support from all sectors. Even UP’s artists came forward to do their share for the athletes. Artists for Athletes, an undertaking of UP’s art community for UP’s sports program, shows how widespread and serious was the move to improve UP’s sports performance, particularly in basketball.
Over the Holidays the offline buzz was how to get one particular blue chip player into the roster of three aspiring teams, the De La Salle Green Archers, the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the UP Fighting Maroons. Among the three, UP looked like the longest shot to land the coveted player: Perpetual Help Altas’ Bright Akhuetie, a Nigerian who rocked the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 2015 with a 44-point performance that placed the Altas abreast of San Beda and Letran for placings, and who averaged 26.5 points a game.
But on Tuesday, the Internet sizzled with news that the 19 year old player bruited about to be “another Mbala” had committed to UP, with blessings from the University of Perpetual Help Altas and matching release papers. Suddenly, the UP Fighting Maroons’ image as a fighting-but-not-really-championship-contending team changed from zero to hero. “The future looks Bright for the UP Fighting Maroons” went the gist of online news and posts, with Fighting Maroons Jett Manuel, Diego Dario, Javi Gomez de Liaño, Noah Webb, Jarrell Lim, Kyles Lao, Janjan Jaboneta and others welcoming the big man to UP.
How did UP land what could be their long-awaited messiah? First, Bo Perasol had a good relationship with the young man. Second, he knew what role Akhuetie wanted to play on the team. Third, Coach Bo knew what messages to deliver and soon enough, they were discussing release papers to clinch the deal.
Akhuetie is expected to fill that gap in the middle that always yawns for UP—a role that Benjie Paras filled for State U back in 1986 that finally won them a championship after two earlier years of being in crown contention.
It’s been 30 years since the boys from Diliman played in the main stage of the UAAP and this time, more than ever before, a big, solid, talented big man is in position to bring them there. Bright will be eligible to play for UP only in Season 81 in 2018 though.
As early as now, UP students and alumni are already ecstatic about their big catch, as if he were ready to play tomorrow. “Bright Akhuetie made the best decision of his life. LOL”, tweeted Season 79 team captain Jett Manuel. “Put yo shades on coz the future is bright lol. Welcome to UP @bright_bigtinzz #UPFight”, seconded guard Diego Dario.
“Sana kayanin niya ang UP,” sports journalist TJ Jurado texted me, hinting about UP’s tough academic requirements. “Bright naman siya,” I texted back.
Happy New Year 2018!