THE productive partnership between Januarius Holdings, Inc. and the University of the Philippines (UP) men’s basketball team is further shored up after the parties recently extended their linkup for the next two years.
JHI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer JJ Atencio said in a release that their group, along with subsidiary STATS Performance Apparel, has committed to still be among the UP Fighting Maroons’ top sponsors for Season 83 and 84 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
Mr. Atencio began supporting the team in 2017, bankrolling its international training that saw the Maroons go to Las Vegas, Serbia and Tokyo in the previous three years.
The training has steadily bore fruit as UP has been competing with the best in the UAAP since, including making it to the finals in Season 81.
It is this sustained success that Mr. Atencio and his group wanted to foster in extending its support for the Maroons.
“Our journey with the UPMBT started three years ago, when, acting on a strong gut feeling, we decided to be major sponsors, despite the team’s just coming out of a lackluster season, the absence of significant community support, and my not even being a UP alumnus. We wanted to be part of the dream and help create something that eventually we could all be proud of. Fast forward to today, it’s a completely different situation, isn’t it?” said Mr. Atencio, an Ateneo graduate but is currently taking a master’s degree in UP.
“While the team has accomplished a lot these past years, the work isn’t finished yet. That dream continues to unfold. Success is a process after all, and we continue to be motivated and encouraged to keep on supporting and being part of this journey — in good times and bad. We think that the next two years will be really good for the team,” he added.
The JHI chief said providing training abroad is still part of their commitment to the team while, at the same time, enhancing it by providing the Maroons with data analytics technology.
“What’s also exciting for us starting this year is analytics. That’s one of the things we are working on with the team and that’s what we’re looking forward to — how it would help them,” Mr. Atencio said.
With steady support kept for them, UP coach Bo Perasol expressed his gratitude to Mr. Atencio and his group, more so because the help comes amid the tough situation brought about by the coronavirus pandemic 2019 (COVID-2019).
“We are beyond grateful for having JJ and JHI in the team for the past three years and a couple more. Despite the COVID-19 situation, he still chose to stay on. He is as determined as we are to see everything through. More than the financial aspect of things, the moral support they have given us from the start is priceless. JJ is like a father or a brother to the players and us coaches. His kindness and faith in the team truly inspires us,” said Mr. Perasol.
The Maroons has been busy building up their roster as they await the UAAP battles to resume.
Recently, UP added to its fold former University of Santo Tomas captain CJ Cansino and “super juniors” Carl Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano from the Nazareth School of National University.
Also part of the team now are Xavier School’s Miguel Tan, Fil-Canadians Alonso Tan and Anton Eusebio, Fil-Australian center Ethan Kirkness, Fil-Am guard Sam Dowd, and Gilas Youth cadet RC Calimag, as well as transferees Joel Cagulangan and Malick Diouf. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
