THE BO Perasol era of the Ateneo Blue Eagles is set to end, with the head coach confirming his decision to leave the Men’s Basketball team at the end of Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
In an interview with The GUIDON, Perasol said that the decision to leave the team was already arrived at even before the season started. “I already told management [before the start of the season] that this is going to be my last year,” he said.
Perasol was initially hired in 2012 on a three-year contract, following the departure of then head coach Norman Black after the Blue and White won its fifth consecutive men’s championship.
Perasol explained that what the Ateneo needed after that five-peat championship dynasty was the kind of coach that could build another championship team. “When I took the job, I knew the challenge, and the challenge was to build a foundation for another run at the championship,” he said.
While his decision to leave the team came even before the season started, only a handful of people within the squad were aware of the head coach’s situation. “Some of the players like Kiefer [Ravena] and Von [Pessumal], they knew it because I talked to them already,” he said. “Because pareho kami magiging last year (Because it will all be our last year together).”
The rest of the players on the team only learned of Perasol’s decision after their first game of the season, a 64-88 loss to Far Eastern University. Perasol felt the team needed a “rallying point” after a shaky performance against the Tamaraws.
With so much uncertainty surrounding the team next year, Perasol simply advised his players to focus on the present. “Wala namang sure thing that’s going to happen next year (There is no sure thing that’s going to happen next year),” he said. “So let’s just make the most of what we have right now.”
Misconstrued criticism
At the end of the first round, the Blue Eagles had a 4-4 win-loss record and sat in joint third place with the De La Salle University Green Archers. This ranking is a far cry from last year’s run at the championship, where the Blue and White finished the season in first place, with a 11-3 win-loss record.
As such, criticism regarding the coaching of the team has been rampant this season. In a rare occurrence, the rumors about the team even prompted University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ to release a memorandum on October 9, where he assured the Ateneo community that Perasol would remain as head coach of the Blue Eagles “with the full support of the Ateneo and team management.”
In a separate interview with The GUIDON, Villarin said that he felt the need to release a memo in order to rally the Ateneo community behind the team. “It was not helping that there were all sorts of voices out there,” he said.
Villarin added, “Besides, I do believe that this is more than just a game. Our athletes who represent us have been working so hard to win for our alma mater. This is a tournament not just of physical prowess but of character as well.”
However, Perasol is adamant that the criticism regarding the team had not been a factor in his decision-making, noting that all Blue Eagle coaches have gone through their fair share of criticism as well.
“Yung criticisms, sinasabi ko na talagang natural yan. Wala namang exemptions dyan (I always say criticism is natural. There is no exemption from it),” he explained. “When I took the job, alam kong may ganiyan (When I took the job, I knew it would be there).”
Instead, Perasol feels this criticism is, in part, due to the culture and passion that the Ateneo exemplifies. “Makikita mo sa culture naman ng school, ng alumni, na they really expect the best and they want to be the best (You can see within the culture of the school, its alumni, that they really expect the best, and they want to be the best).”
Perasol shares that the Ateneo has developed a culture that is consistent. “Iba kasi ‘yung hindi consistent. Parang, iba ‘yung pag sinabi mong ‘I want to win’ pero wala ka namang suporta, hindi mo pinapakita sa kultura mo (It’s different if you’re not consistent. Others, they say ‘I want to win’ but they don’t have support, they do not show it within their culture).”
Focus on the present
With only a handful of games left before the elimination rounds are completed, Perasol wants to put all of his energy towards these games in order to give the Blue Eagles the best chance to move on to the Final 4. “As of now, I’m really bent on making this last year count,” he said. What remains important for the coach is how the team will fare during their remaining games.
Perasol acknowledged that he has received coaching offers from teams outside the UAAP, but as of now, he has not negotiated anything. “It’s not ethical to even talk about that because I have a job and I have a commitment,” he said.
On the other hand, Villarin was also noncommittal regarding Perasol’s successor. “Inward or outward, our choice will be conditioned by what’s best for the team, for our school,” he said.
Villarin added, “Let’s cross the bridge when we get there. In the meantime, let’s keep our focus on what is right before us, this tournament, and let’s not waver in supporting our athletes and aiming for a championship.”
That being said, Perasol has been grateful for the time he has spent with the Ateneo and with the Men’s Basketball team and he believes that he is leaving behind a team “that’s going to be strong in the years to come.”
He added, “With that, I’m really thankful for the opportunity to work for Ateneo, and that it has really been a journey that’s going to be memorable for me.”
Thank you, Coach Bo, for ushering in the Dark Ages after the Golden Era of Ateneo basketball. Your guard-oriented run-and-gun system, Kiefer-centric offense, predictable playcalling, and head-scratching rotations really made the Blue Eagles the laughingstock of the league. I’ll never forget how you ruined our best shot at a championship last year after you failed to figure out how to beat NU, even though you had 4 tries.
Good riddance.