Coach Bo Perasol nearly brought the UP Maroons to the Final Four of the UAAP men’s basketball wars last season.
Gone are veterans Jett Manuel, Dave Moralde and Henri Asilum, but Perasol remains optimistic that his Maroons could again sustain their fighting form.
“If we could be the team that doesn’t back down against anybody, I think we would be in a good place,” said Perasol.
The Maroons fell just a win short of forging a playoff for the last semifinals berth with the Adamson Falcons in Season 79 ruled by the La Salle Archers.
Combo guard Paul Desiderio, who notched a spot in the mythical team selection, and versatile forward Javi Gomez de Liano, a key acquisition from UP Integrated School, should continue to prosper into the new season.
To gain more confidence, Perasol said they would play in various tournaments in the runup to the UAAP in September with the help of corporate supporters like Mighty Sports.
Foreign recruit Ibrahim Ouattara and Cebuano guard Jun Manzo will be the latest additions to sustain their drive.
No doubt the 6-foot-9 Outtara can intimidate their rivals in the paint while Manzo is a vicious scorer with proper spacing.
Another fantastic acquisition for the Maroons is Nigerian center Bright Akhuetie from the NCAA’s Perpetual Help.