UAAP Season 81 did not end up with a championship for the men’s basketball team of the University of the Philippines (UP), but for the Fighting Maroons who were part of that historic journey, that year left so many memories to last them a lifetime.

Recently reunited via Zoom call, dubbed Zoomustahan, members of the UP team in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) back in 2018 looked back at what they were able to accomplish that season as well as touched base with one another during this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Present at the Zoomustahan were Season 81 captain Paul Desiderio, that season’s league most valuable player Bright Akhuetie, Jun Manzo, Juan Gomez de Liaño, Javi Gomez de Liaño, Diego Dario, Jarrell Lim, Gelo Vito, Janjan Jaboneta, Will Gozum, Pio Longa, Jaydee Tungcab, JJ Española and head coach Bo Perasol.

Hosting the get-together were former UP courtside reporter Agatha Uvero and Nowhere To Go But UP: How a Basketball Team Inspired a Nation author Naveen Ganglani.

In Season 81, the Fighting Maroons ended 32 years of finals appearance drought in the UAAP, doing it in a manner where they overcame numerous challenges both as individuals and as a team.

UP began that year slow, finishing the opening round of the eliminations with a 3-4 record.

In the second round, the Maroons showed firmer footing, winning 5-of-7 of their matches, including their last three games that propelled them to the Final Four.

The last of the three matches came at the expense of the De La Salle Green Archers, 97-81, which took a huge toll on the latter’s playoff hopes.

The victory over La Salle thrust UP to the UAAP semifinals for the first time in 21 years, meeting the Adamson Soaring Falcons who enjoyed a twice-to-beat advantage.

But instead of being content on reaching the Final Four, UP showed no let-up and continued to carve its path to the Big Dance.

The Maroons fashioned out dig-deep performances in the semifinals against the Falcons, including a huge play in the dying seconds of their 73-71 Game One victory where Akhuetie scored the winning basket off an inbounds play.

“That was a classic. There was no way to rehearse that the way it happened, even if it was a play that was designed by Coach Ronnie (Magsanoc) at practice. Nobody could have prepared for the way it was executed,” said Desiderio of the winning play that had Juan Gomez de Liaño on the passing end . “That’s why we still talk about it today.”

UP followed it up with another gutsy performance in Game Two to complete the upset of Adamson, 89-87, and advance to the finals against defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles.

In the finals, however, the Maroons bowed to the Eagles in two games.

Looking back at their run in Season 81, Mr. Perasol said it was truly something to be proud of. It might not have ended with a title in their hands but it displayed the resolve of the team and the vast improvement of the school’s basketball program.

“You don’t win with ‘magic.’ You have to have the skills and you have to put in the effort. Even if you keep on fighting, if you do not have the set of skills to match up with other teams, it will be difficult. You cannot achieve anything,” said the UP coach.

“There were a lot of times in UP history where the teams really fought hard, and you cannot discount the fighting heart of UP. But this bunch of guys, they not only had the heart to compete but they also had the skills to back it up,” Mr. Perasol added.

The recent Zoomustahan was the second among Fighting Maroons alumni.

In April, members of the 2014 UP men’s basketball team, which broke a 27-game losing streak that led the controversial bonfire celebration, also had a Zoom call hosted by former player Mikee Reyes. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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