After only a five month hiatus, Dolreich “Bo” Perasol returns to the UAAP.
The former Ateneo Blue Eagle head coach, after a three year stint with the Katipunan squad, has been formally appointed as the new head coach of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons Monday afternoon.
The official appointment of Bo Perasol, seen together with UP Chancellor Michael Tan and team official Mel Macaasaquit
“We expect the higher level of training. He is hungry. He wants to win,” team official Mel Macasaquit said about the hiring. “It’s his passion for his alma mater that drives him to be here. He was singing the ‘UP Naming Mahal’ last season.”
“Now he’s back to where he belongs.”
Perasol was a basketball player for the Maroons during the early part of the 1990’s.
At the young age of 33, he made his professional coaching debut with the Air 21 Express during the PBA’s 30th season.
The highlight of his professional coaching career was during the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup as head coach of the Powerade Tigers. The eighth-seeded Tigers, bannered by the troika of Gary David, Marcio Lassiter, and JVee Casio, were able to overcome powerhouse teams before eventually succumbing to the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters for a runner-up finish.
During the 76th season of the UAAP, Perasol was appointed as the head coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, who are coming from five straight championships.
In his three-year run with the Blue Eagles, he compiled a 27-15 regular season record – missing the Final Four only once. However, the team failed to make the Finals during his three-year stay.
The mentor, however, displayed great leadership on and off the court, something that was highlighted during the Blue Eagles’ campaign in the 78th Season of the UAAP Men’s Basketball tournament. Perasol was able to handle a team that had several off-court issues and brought that team together en route to a third place finish.
The Fighting Maroons are coming off a seventh place finish from last season with a 3-11 record. The team has made strides in the 2016 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup tournament, where the team qualified for the quarterfinals before falling to the more experienced Tanduay Rhum Masters.
According to assistant coach Mo Gingerich, the team’s coaching staff will still remain, as Gingerich, Allan Gregorio, Poch Juinio, and Joe Ward will serve as assistant coaches of the team. The Fighting Maroons are set to make their 2016 Filoil Flying V Premier Cup debut on Wednesday against the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas at 3:30pm.
