The fight is not done for the UP Maroons

MANILA, Philippines – For a team that journeyed from the cellar to the UAAP Finals, the dream isn’t about to stop. 

“Our work is not yet done, and we are just getting started,” said Renan Dalisay, the founder of Nowhere to go but UP – an alumni network of the University of the Philippines (UP) that has pledged support to its men’s basketball team since 2014. 

“The hope has always been to fill the stands for every Maroons game, not just the Finals. The dream has always been to win the championship, not just compete for it.” 

The UP Fighting Maroons broke barriers this season as they crashed into the Final Four for the first time since 1997 and overcame a twice-to-beat advantage of the Adamson Falcons to barge into the UAAP Finals after 32 years since their 1986 championship. (READ: No more miserable Maroons for Perasol)

But the Ateneo Blue Eagles ended their fairytale run, sweeping the Fighting Maroons in the best-of-three Finals series for back-to-back UAAP titles. 

More than just celebrating their achievements, the Fighting Maroons are now aiming to prove that they can sustain this winning culture against the league’s powerhouse teams. 

“Even as we relish the achievements of this year’s team, we must acknowledge that the UPMBT (UP men’s basketball team) still needs help to compete with the more well-funded programs in the UAAP,” added Dalisay in his blog. 

“We cannot rest on our laurels, as other teams will also work to improve their teams – they will recruit, they will train, they will try to come back stronger; we must do the same.” 

Dalisay reminisced how much the UP basketball community had grown – a sea of maroon, sold-out tickets, videos of students celebrating in different UP campuses in viewing parties – far from the days when he had to give out tickets for free just to fill the stands. 

“After seeing the UP community come out in droves for the team the past few weeks, I am optimistic that we will be able to rally support for the Maroons and for the other varsity teams of the University,” said the UP alumnus.

“If the last 4 years have taught us in NTGBU anything, it is that any individual who cares enough to try to make a difference, can – and there are many who really care.” 

Dalisay first made an impact to the UP community when he exposed the poor situation of the UP Fighting Maroons back in 2014 in a Facebook post. 

It was a basketball program that received little to no support at all from the state as the players did not meet the nourishment needed for an athlete as they would rather save the measly allowance given to them. 

Even during training, electricity would be cut off due to “unpaid bills,” he recounted. 

The unfortunate story of the UP Maroons garnered the attention of alumni who gathered and raised funds in support of the State U’s men’s basketball team. 

It took 4 years, but all the hard work and patience paid off as it led to the rebirth of the UP basketball community. 

“All I saw were UP alumni and students who were bursting with pride, volunteers who had worked so hard expecting nothing in return, and fratmen who had set aside their rivalries for a common cause – a UP community united by 16 individuals and their coaching staff who displayed the best of what UP stands for: giting at tapang, honor and excellence.” – Rappler.com