Down but not out: Maroons still fighting for Final Four spot

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The Final Four, for the longest time, has been elusive to University of the Philippines.

The Fighting Maroons’ last appearance in the big dance was in 1997 when Paolo Mendoza still led the team. 

And head coach Bo Perasol wants his players to be aware of their history as they fight for their spot in the Final Four.

“We haven’t been here, we were never part of this, we’re not used to this kind of situation,” said Perasol in Filipino after UP lost an all-important game to Adamson University 86-70 Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“The important thing is we have to be conscious, we have to be aware of what’s happening.”

UP slipped to fifth with a 5-7 record, a full game behind fourth-running Far Eastern University (6-6).

The Fighting Maroons will now have to sweep their remaining two games and hope the Tamaraws split their last couple of matches to make the semis.

“We have to learn from the remaining two games we have, these games are crucial for us,” said Perasol. “We now have to play with pressure because there is so much at stake.”

And Perasol not only looked at his current team with how they performed this Season 80, but to the future versions of the Fighting Maroons.

“Whatever we learn this season, we can share that to the future teams that this is how we did it.”