Just when everyone thought that they are out of the Final Four race, the University of the Philippines Maroons are again flirting at doing the impossible.
The Maroons got right back in the hunt after they beat the struggling National University Bulldogs, 71-66, last Wednesday before the UAAP basketball tournament took a 10-day break in observance of All Saints’ Day.
The win, which came after trailing early in the first half, allowed UP to tie NU for fifth place at 4-8, while pulling within two games of Adamson (5-5) in the race for the fourth place.
It was UP’s best win total since going 4-8 in the 2006 season. The Maroons have a light schedule enter the final two games of the eliminations against the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers and the University of the East Red Warriors.
First year coach Bo Perasol and the rest of the Maroons have vowed to fight every inch in hopes of ending the longest active Final Four drought. UP’s last semis appearance came in 1997.
“I don’t think we won’t relinquishment that chance, and we will fight for that chance,” Perasol said. “We’re not just going to fall back and we’re going to embrace that opportunity.”