Paul Desiderio just wouldn’t want his collegiate career to end on Saturday night.
Easily among the most beloved persons in University of the Philippines, the outgoing guard delivered one of the most inspiring performances in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament.
Desiderio scored all of his 19 points in the second half of the Fighting Maroons’ 73-71 win over Adamson University in UP’s first Final Four appearance since 1997.
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“I told myself that I will still give my team one more chance, I don’t want my collegiate career to end in just one game,” said Desiderio in Filipino Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Fighting Maroons entered the Final Four as the third seeds and a single loss to the second-ranked Soaring Falcons would see them bow out of the semifinals.
Not today though, as Adamson was forced to use its twice-to-beat advantage.
And Desiderio’s gutsy play didn’t just happen in a cruise as the Soaring Falcons, who were down 54-43 after the third quarter, mounted a crowd-silencing 26-11 run in the fourth.
Sean Manganti, who crushed UP’s heart in the elimination round with a couple of clutch baskets, gave the Falcons a 69-65 lead with 2:18 left in the game.
Desiderio, though, would reclaim the lead for the Fighting Maroons, 71-69, with a tough fadeaway jumper against Jerom Lastimosa with 5.5 seconds left.
“When Adamson made that rally I knew that it would be a tough game but we can’t give up,” said Desiderio. “We will give ourselves another chance for the title.”