“ATIN 'TO, papasok ‘to!”
When UP's Paul Desiderio blurted out the line during the final timeout in a 2017 regular season game, it was immortalized when he canned the game-winning three over the UST Growling Tigers.
The UP squad had the same mentality throughout the season and JD Cagulangan gives credit to the player he calls a Maroons hero.
“Ibang-iba yung Paul Desiderio. Yung effect niya, ‘yung ‘Atin 'to!’ dala-dala niya yun lagi every game. Kumbaga yung crucial game namin, lagi naming sinasabi, 'Atin to!' Yun pa lang eh. Iba yung effect sa amin noon,” Cagulangan told SPIN.ph.
“Mas pinupush namin kung saan kaya. Mas iba ang Paul Desiderio. Hero yun sa UP. Hindi mo maitatanggi ‘yun. Parang ang laki ng impact ni kuya Paul,” he continued.
JD Cagulangan makes the last-gasp triple for the win.
Cagulangan recalled that Desiderio imparted the message before the season started, citing the support the UP community gives to the team.
“Dong, wag kang sumuko sa mga laban na mahigpit kasi kahit anong mangyari, lumaban lang. Kasi, ibang sumuporta ang UP community,’”recollected Cagulangan.
Down five in the late stages of overtime UP found its resolve to down their opponents, powered by Cagulangan's desperation heave from downtown and UAAP Finals MVP Malick Diouf's two-handed slam. Philip Matel
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