UP’s ‘Bonfire’ Maroons reunite, give take on match-up vs Season 82 squad

Mikee Reyes organized a reunion with the UAAP Season 77 batch of UP Fighting Maroons on Monday evening. 

That batch of Fighting Maroons ended up winning just one game — a 77-64 win over Adamson that ended their 27-game slump back in August 9, 2014.

The squad — composed of Reyes, Agustini Amar, Darwish Bederi, Diego Dario, Carlo Escalambre, JR Gallarza, Mo Gingerich, Nomer Gonzales, Andrew Harris, Mark Juruena, Kyles Lao, Jarrell Lim, Dave Moralde, Martin Pascual, and Gelo Vito — became a team to remember, though. The ensuing celebration after that win was a huge bonfire on UP’s Diliman campus — a celebration usually reserved for champions.

It was also the starting point of when things turned around for the program.

But what would happen if they took on the current batch of Fighting Maroons? Well, the team talked about it during a live Zoom session.

“Puro zone lang tayo nun,” said Juruena.

“‘Pag wala si Juan at Javi, 2-3 tayo nun kasi walang shooting,” added Reyes. “Wala tayong pag-asa ‘pag tao-tao eh.”

Each Maroon also received  an assignment on who they would defend.

Kobe Paras was the marked man of Gingerich, while Amar would handle Ricci Rivero. Harris was tasked to defend Season 80 MVP Bright Akhuetie. On the other hand, Reyes had the tall task of manning Juan Gomez de Liaño.

“Payabangan lang,” said Reyes on his advantage of Juan.

Other match-ups included Juruena versus Javi and Will Gozum; Lim versus Jun Manzo — which drew laughs; Dario versus Jaybee Mantilla; Moralde versus James Spencer; Gallarza versus David Murrell; Vito versus Noah Webb; Lao versus Janjan Jaboneta; Gonzales versus Jaydee Tungcab; Bederi versus Jboy Gob; Escalambre versus Pio Longa; and Pascual versus Jerson Prado.

So who would win in a best-of-seven?

“Wala, ako wala. 0-4 [tayo],” quipped Harris.

“1-3, tiwala ako kay coach Bo [Perasol],” opined Lim.

“‘Pag na-shoot mo ‘yung free throw panalo tayo,” Dario jabbed at Reyes, recalling UP’s 69-70 heartbreaker to Ateneo back in September 3, 2014 that saw Reyes miss two free throws to close out the contest.

Besides this fantasy match-up, there were many things the crew talked about, including their favorite moments, their team building in Bataan, why Paul Desiderio missed that season, among others.