Perasol calls for UP unity, sets self-ultimatum for Season 82

MANILA, Philippines – UP Fighting Maroons head coach Bo Perasol calls for a united school community, just one day after apologizing for an outburst that led to his ejection against the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

“It’s about time that we all realize the fact that the UP men’s basketball team will never be champions simply because we are all cheering for them, praising them for the wins, but bashing them to no end for not beating their opponents,” he said in a letter forwarded to team backer nowheretogobutUP.

“It’s time we all realize that we all, players or supporters, should pick up the pieces when we lose and not beat each other up to pieces when we do not come out victorious,” he continued.

“We have to be behind each other, come what may, through thick or thin, rather than be at each other’s throat when we lose by one point or by 26 points.”

With that said, the fourth-year tactician and UP alumnus is also going all-in – championship or bust – on his team for the rest of the UAAP Season 82.

“I coach not only for myself or for my players, but for the entire UP community who were watching the game live at the Araneta Coliseum or at their homes,” he said. “I know that if I do not deliver now and go all the way in Season 82, then I have no business being at the bench of the UP Maroons any minute longer.”

Right now, the loaded Maroons are sitting at 2nd place in the season standings with a 5-2 record, just behind an undefeated Ateneo team that humiliated them, 63-89, in front of 19,861 fans at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, September 29. 

Apart from having to serve at least a one-game suspension to begin the second round, Perasol has yet to fully unleash the dormant skills of former Mythical Five members Juan Gomez de Liano and Ricci Rivero, both of whom are just respectively sitting at 29th and 36th place in the statistical points leaderboard after the first round.

“The greater challenge now is for me, the players and everyone in the UP community to rise above what happened,” Perasol said. “We have to take the last game as a wake-up call, something that should spring us back to life and to the reality that much work needs to be done. The focus should not be on one incident, one play, one non-call or one game, but rather, all our eyes should be on the prize.”

“I intend to lead the entire UP men’s basketball team to victory in Season 82,” he continued.

“It is my sacred duty, not only as a coach, but a proud Iskolar ng Bayan, to keep on fighting up to the very end of the season till the prize is won and the championship trophy is lifted for all Iskos and Iskas to bask on for the greater glory of the one and only Unibersidad ng Pilipinas.” – Rappler.com