THE END (of another UP Maroons MBT season)

 

UP fights till the very end only to come up short against host NU; Eight seniors play final game

Ray Parks got a lot of help from the refs, getting one superstar call after another

 

Ok, I’ll admit it. I cried as I watched the UP Maroons MBT and the coaching staff huddle inside the court in honor of the eight seniors playing their last games in the UAAP.

The NU Bulldogs relied on their dynamic duo of Ray Parks and Emmanuel Mbe to survive a late Maroon rally and win, 65-60. Parks got a lot of help from the from Mbe’s offensive rebounds and putbacks. He also got a lot of assists from the referees who seem to be calling the game in a one-sided manner.

Ang sakit lang kasi eh, yung alam mong binigay nila lahat ng makakaya nila buong season. Pero kahit may pulitika, palakasan sa UAAP board, masasamang tawag ng referees for almost the whole season at iba’t iba pang outside distractions eh lumaban pa rin ng todo ang mga players ng team mo.

Sobrang saya ko nung nakita kong mag-huddle sa gitna ng court ang buong team kahit na natalo pa tayo kahapon. Ang mahalaga, lumaban ng buong tapang at gilas ang mga totoong student-athletes ng UP Maroons MBT.

Pero nalungkot din ako kasi, huling taon na nung walong seniors natin, na kung tutuusin hindi naman mukhang graduating. May iba ngang players yung ibang schools magugulat ka may natitira pang playing years pero mukhang tatay na ng mga players natin ngayon (e.g. RR Garcia of FEU).

But enough of the ranting here, I would just like to thank the team for all the fight and effort shown this season. I don’t care even if we had a 1-13 season (the hell, even if we finish at 0-14), our record does not indicate how well our team played this year.

This last post about the UP MBT games will be dedicated to thanking the team and the people who helped made my “coverage” of the Maroons’ season 75 campaign a successful one.

 

To the UP Maroons Men’s Basketball Team and coaching staff



UP fans holding up the numbers of the graduating seniors

First off, I would like to thank the UP Maroons Basketball team for all the hardwork and fight you have shown all season long. I would like to commend Mark Lopez, Jelo Montecastro and Henry Asilum for consistently answering my mentions on Twitter. Those answers were a lot of help in disseminating information about the team. These three easily are also my favorite players from this year’s squad.

To the eight super seniors, Lopez, Montecastro, Mike Silungan, Alvin Padilla, Mike Gamboa, Alinko Mbah, Diony Hipolito and Robby Weirzba, thank you for choosing UP. You will forever be in our hearts and will support you in the next career paths you take after the UAAP.

1.       Mark Lopez- a player who came to UP alongside his high school teammate Soc Rivera (who is nowhere to be found now). Thank you for the five years you spent representing Oblation Nation. An all-around player who can score, rebound, facilitate and defend, para sa akin, ikaw ang pinaka-epitome ng isang student-athlete, Iskolar ng Bayan pa.

 

2.       Jelo Montecastro- a guy who chose to transfer to UP after first donning green for the CSB Blazers, thank you for choosing to transfer to us. You are the most poised UP pointguard I have watched play for this team. You made the right choice transferring to UP.

 

3.       Mike Silungan- the hotshot dude from Chicago who took his talents to Diliman, never question your talents bro. The critics and online trolls will always be there when your down, but we supporters are behind you all the way. Just keep your head in the game and make us proud as you continue your hoop dreams onto the professional ranks.

 

4.       Alvin Padilla- the other transferee who made the right choice. Thank you for trading your red for maroon. Thank you for the stingy defense you give the opposing team’s best player and for developing that clutch mentality as your career with the Maroons progressed.

 

5.       Mike Gamboa- the former King Eaglet who went to the other side of Katipunan to represent Diliman Republic. Thank you for those daredevil drives and timely assists to your teammates. And thank you for showing everyone that it’s not height but the size of the heart that matters in basketball.

 

6.       Alinko Mbah- the Nigeran center who played a hell of a game in his last one. I thank you for the two years spent patrolling the paint for the Maroons. I also thank you for giving us Maroons fans a reason to laugh everytime you do something comical on the court.

 

7.       Diony Hipolito- the smallest power forward I’ve watch play in the UAAP, thank you for showing improvement ever year. I always pump my fist everytime you outrebound the bigger and bulkier forwards of our opponents.

 

8.       Robby Weirzba- the role player who is always called upon to play sticky defense to elite wing players such as Parks and Terrence Romeo, thank you for doing what do best for UP.

To the holdovers for next season, Asilum, Jett Manuel, Raul Soyud, Chris Ball, Paolo Romero, JR Gallarza and Julius Wong, continue the fight and achieve the goals not obtained this season.

To Mikey Reyes, Mark Juruena, Mo Gingerich, Tata Marata and Kyle Suarez, we are expecting a lot from you as well next year.



The graduating players in tears while singing the UP hymn for the last time as members of the team

 

To the coaching staff, especially coach Ricky Dandan, thank you for all the sacrifices you’ve made or the UP community this season. Asahan niyong nandto pa rin kaming mga supporters niyo sa mga susunod pang mga taon.

To the detractors of this team and coaching staff, salamat na rin. Hindi naman kumpleto ang mundo ng wala kayo. Andami dami nyo sinasabi wala naman kayong alam sa basketball, if I were you, I will just help the current coaching staff in place. We all know that the UP MBT management is in shambles and it would only get worse if we keep replacing our head coach and coaching staff.

If you think you can help then let's just help each other, if not, I just have one message for you all, FUCK OFF!

 

To those who made my coverage happen

Prior to this season, I never got to watch all the games of our MBT live (whether it be on TV or at the venue). This season I got lots of help from my friend Carlos Pascual, who helped me secure tickets to all the UP Maroons weekend games that I could’ve watched. This paragraph is for you my friend, thank you and I am looking forward to next season.

To my sister Krisha, my cousins Joan, Vea and Coleen and my friends Trish and Renel who served as company while watching the games, let’s all do this again next season for the Maroons.

To my former player for the UP CMC Wildcats and current UP MBT Student Manager, Julio Dragon Silvestre, thanks for the little bits of information that helped me improve writing my blog posts about the UP Maroons this year.

The Maroons huddled for one last time this season

And finally to my Maker. To the Big Guy up in the sky, I thank you for making me realize I can still write. Maybe this blogging gig can lead to something else. I want to thank you for reviving my hoop dreams once again, I know that basketball is my first love and I will not stop until I make a name for myself in this field.

Of course, I would love it if I can help with the resurgence of the one and only school team I will cheer for as long as I live, the UP Fighting Maroons!

Salamat sa lahat ng mga nagbasa and hopefully I can continue doing this until I reach my hoop dream, that is to help the UP Maroons Men’s Basketball Team get that championship once again.

Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Matatapang, Matatalino, Walang Takot kahit kanino. Hinding-hindi magpapahuli, ganyan kaming mga taga-UP!

 

P.S.

May pahabol pa pala ako. Stay tuned for the “An Interview with Mark Lopez” post coming soon.

UP Fight! UP Win! UP Pride! Till next season guys!

 

(Credit to the UP Fighting Maroons fan page and Interaktv.com for the pictures)