All-out UP Fight in UAAP

The link between the University of the Philippines' seniors and juniors basketball programs became even stronger with the UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development facilitating complete integration between UP and its high school located in the same campus.

With this, UP Integrated School will serve as a training ground for future Fighting Maroons in all sports, while also providing talents still in high school a golden opportunity at top-notch education and athletics.

"Today is a historic day for UP because, finally, formally, tuluyan nang magkatuwang ang UP at UPIS in terms of sports and, of course, the education it can provide for student-athletes," said UP OASD Dir. Bo Perasol in the integration program held in Diliman on Tuesday.

The formalization of the link up between the Fighting Maroons and Junior Fighting Maroons is one of the top priorities for Perasol, whose mandate includes overseeing and improving State U's athletic programs in all campuses.

"This is a necessary step for us to maximize all the assets UP already has on hand. Systemwide, all Iskolar ng Bayan have so much potential, and kelangan lang nating mabigyan ng tama at totoong suporta," said Perasol.

UPIS has been State U's representatives in the UAAP'S high school events, but the Fighting Maroons and Jr. Maroons have historically acted as separate entities. Now, the hope is for the Jr. Maroons to be trained and ingrained even more in the Fighting Maroons culture starting at an earlier age.

UPIS had already produced several notable Fighting Maroons in Diego Dario, Aldous Torculas, and Gomez de Liano brothers Javi and Juan. With the development, however, many more homegrown student-athletes are being eyed to make State U proud.

At the same time, the strengthened link will set the Jr. Maroons on the path to contention. UP MBT head coach Goldwin Monteverde made a name for himself as a multi-titled mentor in the juniors division before leading the Fighting Maroons to a historic championship in 2022.