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Final Four is not the top, the championship is
When the University of the Philippines has qualified for the final four of the season 81 of UAAP for the first time since 1997, the celebration seemed to have already reached the peak of its season. They earned the right to compete with the second-tier team, Adamson University, with the daunting task of overcoming a double disadvantage.
Adamson had his most promising year of three years in the Franz Pumaren era after finishing the eliminations among the first two for the first time. In the semifinal, UP was 0-2 against Adamson in the eliminations. In both games, clutch thrower Sean Manganti provided breakers.
The odds were already set against the Fighting Maroons. Even with star players Paul Desiderio, Bright Akhuetie and Juan Gomez de Liano, UP was still in the usual outsider position against Adamson.
But they continued and dismissed the idea that the Final Four is the pinnacle of season 81.
"Our state of mind is that we are already here, why not play the best we can, why not fight for that?" Said coach Bo Perasol.
Like a team on a mission, the Fighting Maroons have won two consecutive wins in a pair of instant classic matches to bring out the once-powerful Falcons and book a ticket for the Finals series. The last time they got this ticket, it was in 1986.
They now understand that no, the Final Four is not the top. The championship is.
Perasol admitted that it was just something that they had learned during the process. Going to the finals this season was not part of the concrete and practical plan.
"I think [being in the Finals]it is an excessive success. It's something we have not planned. It's something that we put as an ideal goal, "said Perasol.
"Para bang naisip namin na 'Hey, participate in the Final Four, here is the step, learn how it works here, then next year we will probably have the opportunity and we will go in the final, "he insisted.
Apparently, at the beginning of season 81, UP considered itself a Final Four team, but not necessarily as a team of finals. But look at them now, they surprised themselves.
"We're slowly learning about ourselves, Parang, if you really believe in what you can do, then you'll be really amazed at how much better you are than what you see yourself as it is." You are better than how you see yourself, "repeated Perasol.
Season 81 has been a year of rewriting the history of UP – the first Final Four since 1997, the first final since 1986, and the first MVP in Akhuetie since 1969. It seems that they have already reached their quota, but Perasol made it clear that they were not finished yet.
"Make no mistake, we are going there," he said.
Just like the position they have held for so long, the UP will play in the Final on Saturday as a sloppy defender to defending champion Ateneo de Manila.
Similar to their original record against Adamson, UP is 0-2 this season against Ateneo. Their games in the final playoffs were unbalanced.
Despite this, UP insists that they are not just happy to be in the final, they are there to take everything.
"We are happy where we are, no, we will be there to compete, we will be there to win it, I do not know what the results would be but we will be there with the intention of winning," said Perasol.
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Follow this writer on Twitter, @the9cruz
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