By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

FOR the second time in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 the University of the Philippines (UP) was dealt a lopsided defeat by Katipunan rivals and defending champion Ateneo de Manila University, sending the Fighting Maroons to much realization.

Reengaged the Blue in the final game of the elimination round of the ongoing UAAP season on Wednesday, UP was looking to do well against Ateneo but instead saw a familiar refrain.

The Maroons competed early on in said game but just could not sustain it on their way to an 86-64 defeat.

It was the similar route that UP found itself taking in their 89-63 loss to Ateneo in the opening round back in September.

The win completed for the Eagles (14-0) a sweep of the eliminations that earned for them a direct entry into the finals while rendering the semifinals a step-ladder setting.

UP (9-5), despite the loss, still retained the second spot and has a twice-to-beat advantage in the step-ladder.

Following the game, Maroons coach Bo Perasol admitted that the Eagles are the proverbial “glass ceiling” they are having troubles overcoming at the moment and that they have to dig very deep if they are to finally break through against the blue and white.

“There are so many realizations, and Ateneo was just much better against us,” said the UP coach in a postmatch session with members of media on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We saw our immense weaknesses and again, it’s important we have to feel the reality. Ateneo is a cut above the rest and we cannot compare ourselves with them as of right now,” he added.

UP just could not find its groove form the second quarter onwards when Ateneo started to crank things up on both ends last time around.

The Maroons shot a dismal 33.3% from the field, even had a worse clip from beyond the arc at 26.3%.

They were outrebounded, 46-38, out-assisted, 22-12, and had more turnovers, 21-18.

“There was no way, if we played that way, that we could’ve beaten Ateneo. It’s not a fitting ending on how we would’ve wanted our elimination round but Ateneo really outplayed us,” Mr. Perasol candidly said.

But the UP coach was not completely down on his team, believing that every team in the UAAP has had difficulty against the defending champs this season.

“It’s not just UP who plays bad against Ateneo. Everybody plays bad against Ateneo, period. In the 14 games of Ateneo, I’d say 80%, they just outplayed everybody. If you want to beat them, you should not only be prepared, but you have to have some luck as well,” Mr. Perasol said.

He went on to say that all is not lost for them this season and that they have to get back to the drawing board and be ready in the step-ladder.

“[We have to try] to erase the bitter loss to Ateneo right away because we need to focus on the positives that we had. We cannot discount the fact that we are 9-5. I think we have done pretty well to be no. 2, but it’s also important that we can’t stay there,” the UP coach said.

“We have to move forward. We need to anticipate what’s ahead of us and prepare hard for that next game,” Mr. Perasol added.

The UAAP step-ladder semifinals begin on Nov. 6 with third-seeded Far Eastern University Tamaraws taking on the number four team University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.

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