After a solid win against the UE Red Warriors for its first win of the season, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons dropped two straight games, a close encounter against the defending champions FEU Tamaraws and against UP head coach Bo Perasol’s former team, the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Perasol had already warned his team days prior to Wednesday’s game that they have play a level higher against the young Blue Eagles but they failed to do so according to the UP alumnus.
“I was trying to tell them that if we just play our regular game we won’t be having any chance against Ateneo,” Perasol reflected.
“Every aspect of the game Ateneo was ahead of us.”
And ahead the Blue Eagles were. The Fighting Maroons were out-rebounded 42-29, were not able to make the stops as Ateneo shot 47 percent from the field compared to just 37 percent for the Iskos, and were completely outplayed as Ateneo’s bench scored 47 points against them. 
Moreover, the Fighting Maroons relied on just two players in the game as Jett Manuel and Paul Desiderio combined for 42 of UP’s 64 points.
“What happened, naging regular lang. We were just ourselves,” he lamented. “I told them that’s what happens if we just be ourselves. We’re gonna lose many games.”
“I’m just trying to tell them to step up another level.”
However, Perasol is taking full responsibility of letting UP absorb its fourth loss of the season.
“Ako, I always feel accountable to the result of the game. I’m not the kind of coach who blames my players,” he shared. “At the end of the day, ako yung leader e.”
“There are games na, katulad nung FEU, even if we lost that, I know we did our best and I count it as a win. But this one, we really lost this one. “
“So yung middle ground na sinasabi ko. I have a responsibility to you but you also have a responsibility to me so let’s make it happen,” he added.
Perasol though is challenging the Fighting Maroons to find an inspiration, something that they will fight for, to achieve the next level he is looking for.
“Ang challenge ko, andiyan narin naman e, bakit di pa natin i-angat ang isa’t isa,” he said.
“Parang boiling water, 100 degrees, 99 degrees na tayo, ba’t di pa natin sindihan yung mga pwet natin. Isa nalang e. Isang degree nalang, di pa natin magawa.
“As a coach, na-didisappoint ka, na-frufrustrate pero these are guys na alam mong nabugbog na before pa. Laban lang. Sa susunod baka magkaron pa tayo ng chance,” he closed.
