Defending champion UP will be put to the test in UAAP Season 88 as the "Maroon 5" will be battling competitive teams minus some key pieces from their Season 87 title run.
The UP Fighting Maroons understand that everything must be earned, not given as they plunge into their title defense in UAAP Season 88 starting September 20 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Yet to become back-to-back champions, UP has the chance to write even more history since the Fighting Maroons ended the 36-year drought in 2022.
But with tremendous competition from the seven other teams in the UAAP, UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said the team knows that there won’t be any cakewalks against any of their opponents in the 14-game elimination round.
“Every season, it's always competitive. You're talking about a season wherein, you know the UAAP season, it starts really January. Especially for the teams who fell short a season prior," Luanzon told media during the signing of the UP Fighting Maroons with pet food brand TopBreed at the Executive House in UP Diliman.
“Because imagine playing or preparing for nine months, and then you're basically just playing for 14 games. In a sense, that's unfair in a way. I guess I could speak for everyone. But that being said, because yun yung scenario, you can expect every team to be competitive.”
Although still having a number of holdovers from the champion team in Season 87, key losses are glaring at the Fighting Maroons’ hopes of defending the crown.
Finals MVP JD Cagulangan has gone on to play professionally in South Korea, while one-and-done Quentin Millora-Brown has also moved on from Diliman. Francis Lopez decided to forgo his remaining years of eligibility as well.
Additionally, Aldous Torculas transferred to San Beda and Seven Gagate returned to his roots in La Salle.
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With all things considered, Luanzon knows that there is nothing certain for the Fighting Maroons at this point of their preparation.
But one thing they can promise is that UP will be giving their best, especially with a number of players in the roster playing out their final year.
Dubbed as the “Maroon 5”, Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon, Janjan Felicilda, Reyland Torres, and Terrence Fortea are all set to hang up their Maroon jerseys at the end of Season 88.
“I don't think there's a sure automatic to anything in life. Let alone a competition of eight teams, wherein all eight teams are invested in every way,” said Luanzon.
“With us dito sa UP, obviously we're grateful for the support ng Nowhere To Go But Up, ng sponsors, ng UP community. And what's important for us is lagi namin ibibigay 'yung best namin as a team," he continued.
UP is set to open its title defense against season hosts UST on Sunday, September 21, when they tangle in the main game at 4:30 p.m. The games will be aired on One Sports, the UAAP Varsity Channel, and the Pilipinas Live app.