The UP Fighting Maroons are making full use of the pre-season to get ready for UAAP Season 87.
After a 2-week training trip to Novi Sad, Serbia where the Maroons won all their tune-up games against collegiate and pro teams there, the UP Men’s Basketball Team is off again to pursue training in Korea from July 28 to August 9.
Long-time UPMBT supporter, JJ Atencio, CEO of Januarius Holdings Inc. (JHI), has again enabled the Maroons to get better by continuing to sponsor their overseas preparations, in fulfillment of a promise he made the team in 2018 to be their “training buddy”.
Although Atencio hails from Ateneo de Manila University, he has been one of the staunchest supporters of the Fighting Maroons, pledging to take care of their athletic training abroad yearly to prepare them for the upcoming collegiate seasons.
Atencio supports the team in a very focused way – by funding their training in places where they could get better. He has funded the Maroons’ training in Las Vegas, Serbia, Japan and Korea in various years.
“In the beginning, when they were the perennial underdogs and had not yet won a championship, I was attracted to the UP story. I identified with them because they were underdogs and I had a similar experience. Through hard work, persistence, dedication, integrity, sincerity and prayer, you can reach your goal. And I did, they did.”
STATS Technical Sportswear, a subsidiary of JHI, has also outfitted the Maroons and produced their official merchandise since Atencio started supporting the team.
“JHI is one with the UP Men’s Basketball Team as we all strive to be stronger and better in Season 87,” said Atencio. “Since we entered into a partnership with UP, our goal is to be a contender every year, which we have done for several seasons now. But we are not stopping there.”
“The story of the UP Fighting Maroons, who were once an underdog and now is a team to beat, continues to resonate with me and our company. That’s what makes this team special. Some may see them as the top dog now, but deep inside, they still have that underdog mentality. They will keep trying and trying and will stay hungry all the time,” Atencio added.
UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development (UP OASD) Director Bo Perasol expressed the teams’ appreciation for the big impact of Atencio’s initiatives on the Fighting Maroons’ improvement on and off the court.
“JJ is like a father figure to the boys. We are really grateful for his generosity and help in our overseas training camps. More than that, we are extremely blessed to have him as a partner in guiding the players and looking after them beyond the corners of the basketball court,” said Perasol. Coach Bo was UP’s head coach when Atencio first partnered with the team in 2018.
