TALK about reaching the Promised Land anew with battle-scared cagers.
University of the Philippines coach Goldwin Monteverde could not be happier after his squad bagged the 87th UAAP basketball tournament crown—with five of his former stars at the National University Nazareth School in the high school ranks.
“Never akong nag-doubt sa mga kasama ko dati. Ever since magkakasama kami, hanggang ngayon,” Monteverde said. “Talagang alam mo na pagpasok, if they’re gonna enter into battle, kapag sila kasama mo, feeling mo lahat kaya mo.
“Very thankful ako sa tiwala nila and iyong lahat ng pagpupursigi na ginagawa nila para makuha namin ito,” he added.
Monteverde referred to Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, Reyland Torres, and Janjan Felicilda.
Before a record 25, 248 fans, the Fighting Maroons exorcised the ghost of two straight setbacks in the finals with a riveting 66-62 decision over the La Salle Green Archers in the deciding match last Sunday night.
UP took the opener of the race-to-3 series with a 75-63 win but suffered a numbing 75-76 loss in the second tiff.
The Katipunan-based five fell short the past two cage wars—to Ateneo in 2022 and La Salle last year.
With a bunch of former players who know his system and backstopped by finals MVP JD Cagulangan, Francis Lopez, and one-and-done big man Quentin Millora-Brown, there was no stopping the Maroons this time around.
UP ended a 36-year title drought in the 84th season with Carl Tamayo, Ricci Rivero, CJ Casino, and former foreign player Malick Diouf showing the way.
But this latest triumph will rank high for Monteverde.
“Siyempre, masaya kami especially noong 84th season, iba iyong kasama namin, sina Ricci, sina CJ, kumbaga, we had that time,” he said. “For this championship, ito naman sobrang saya.”
