Desiderio insists ejected Dennison hit him in UP loss to FEU

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

University of the Philippines guard Paul Desiderio insisted there was contact in the disqualifying foul attested to Ron Dennison in UP’s duel against FEU on Sunday.

“Natamaan talaga ako. Ang sakit ng tiyan ko eh,” Desiderio said as he pointed to his stomach.

Dennison got ejected at the 2:48 mark of the fourth quarter after what the video replay showed as an apparent tap on Desiderio.

Without Dennison, the Tamaraws still were able to come away with a 51-49 win over the Fighting Maroons.

Despite the exchange, Desiderio said there are no hard feelings between them, more so that they teamed up for a year in University of Visayas.

“Teammate ko siya before at captain ball ko si Dennison. Sports lang. Best friend ko yan so sports lang. Sabi ko, bibigyan namin sila ng good fight. Ang nangyari, good fight nga,” he said.

Desiderio said he knows how hard of a defender Dennison is and he doesn’t have any axe to grind with his fellow Cebuano.

“Pisikal lang talaga si Dennison. Ganyan lang talaga yan, nasanay na ako. May mga extra motion lang sya, pero walang problema sa akin yun. Nirerespeto ko si Dennison kasi captain ball ko siya back in UV. Parang kapatid ko na rin,” he said.

UP coach Bo Perasol also believes that FEU did a good job on defending his ward.

“For me, that’s really part of the game. Kung ako yun, I would be more physical with Paul as well kasi I know na sya ang magiging scorer namin eh,” he said.

Desiderio finished with 15 points on a 3-of-14 shooting in the game.

Perasol noted this should serve as a challenge for Desiderio to perform better knowing that he’ll definitely be a marked man for the Fighting Maroons as the season goes.

“He has to play through that. Sinabi ko na yun sa kanya noon and it’s a good thing na andoon naman ang mga referees to call it.”