Bittersweet win for UP’s Perasol

The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ second win came at the expense of their mentor’s former team from a season ago.

In his first three years of coaching in the UAAP, Bo Perasol helped steer the Ateneo Blue Eagles to two final four appearances. However, whether he likes to admit it or not, his time with the cagers from Loyola Heights was one of the most stressing endeavors he has entered in his coaching career. Still, Perasol has always looked back on that time with a smile.

Saturday evening, Perasol steered the Fighting Maroons to not only their second win of the season, but also end losing streak of UP against Ateneo, a streak of futility that had spanned 2,631 days.

Bo Perasol was the first mentor Adrian Wong had in Ateneo

But the win was bittersweet for Perasol. Having coached 11 of the 16 Blue Eagles in this season’s line-up, the UP mentor felt bad that their win had come at their expense.

“It’s extra special in a sense that we were able to put an end to the streak. But in the sense that I was their coach before, I feel bad for my former players also,” Perasol said.

“I know that they are in contention and they are still are in contention,” he added as the win also sent Ateneo back to .500 in the standings.

“There’s no extra feeling that I defeated my former team but I am happy for my players who were able to get that win.”

Perhaps “relief” was the word he was looking for, as he is just two games shy of his short-term target of gaining more than three wins this season.

“Ang nasa isip lang namin is yung susunod na laro at kung papano kami mananalo,” he said.

“Just to add up the wins that we already have will really help us.”