After a stellar UAAP Season 80 Men’s basketball campaign that saw him average 16.6 points per game, super senior Paul Desiderio was expected to make a supernova in his final year of duty for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. However, in four games so far, Desiderio has only showed sparks and flickers.
In addition, the Fighting Maroons, a loaded squad from top to bottom, has only managed to pick up one win in their first four games of the season.
“Wala naman problema sa team, siguro ang problema sa individual,” rued the native of Liloan, Cebu, who is averaging just 10.8 points on 35.8 shooting from the field and 2-for-22 from downtown this season. “Tulad ko, yun nga kumbaga nagstrustruggle ako the past few games.
“Hopefully, makuha ko yung rhythm ko in the next few games.”
During the off-season, the 5-foot-11 scoring guard completed a tough circuit in preparation for his fifth year. Desiderio was part of the 2023 Gilas Cadets and played for D-League club team Go-for-Gold Scratchers. Moreover, he and the Fighting Maroons figured in a camp in Serbia.
Though Juan Gomez de Liano has made the leap, Desiderio has struggled. And it showed during UP’s 68-69 loss to the Adamson Soaring Falcons, Wednesday evening.
In that game, Desiderio attempted just 11 shots, making three. Last season, his season-low in attempts was 12 shots. Even in the clutch, he was not able to deliver, air-balling a triple with 5.7 seconds left.
“More shots, more confidence pa para makabawi,” was the only thing Desiderio could say about his season so far.
Still, the 21-year-old remains hopeful that he and the Fighting Maroons could put together a string of wins that would lift them back up.
“Sayang but at the end of the game, winning or losing, basketball talaga may mananalo at may matatalo, andun lang kami sa natalo. Sana makabawi na lang kami next game.”
