Goldwin Monteverde endorsed as new UPIS head coach

Change may be coming for the UPIS basketball program with the possible appointment of Goldwin Monteverde as the Junior Fighting Maroons’ new head coach.

In a letter to incoming UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, Bo Perasol, UP Diliman’s Program Director for Basketball, endorsed the integration of the UP Diliman Basketball program from high school to college and the appointment of Monteverde as concurrent coach of both the seniors and juniors’ program.

In his first year as head coach, Monteverde steered the Fighting Maroons to their first UAAP seniors’ basketball title in 36 years. Last season, he led the Fighting Maroons to a second straight finals appearance.

Monteverde, a champion high school basketball coach when he steered the NU Bullpups to back-to-back UAAP crowns and numerous championships in the NBTC National Finals, PSSBC, MMBL, and Palarong Pambansa, also led NS-NU to gold in 2018 and 2019 ASEAN School Games.

Monteverde is also known for producing blue-chip recruits like Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, Harold Alarcon and Terrence Fortea, among others.

“To ensure sustainability of the program, especially now that UP’s aspirations are high, is to have an integrated and well-coordinated basketball program from high school to college,” Perasol said in his letter.

“We want to recruit players from around the country that will excel not only in basketball but will also survive the rigors of UPIS academic demand. Those young players, with proper training program and exposure, will make sure our program in the UPMBT continues,” he added.

Perasol also assured the newly installed UP President that the UP MBT Management Team will guarantee ample support to its high school squad to make it successful like its seniors’ counterpart, from recruitment and screening, academic support and tutorials, strength and conditioning, skills training, team building, basketball data analytics, improvement of training facilities, among others.

“We hope to replicate our experience in the seniors’ program and elevate the juniors’ program to become more competitive and hopefully to be back in the final four and aim for championship,” Perasol said.

Perasol added that even the current juniors’ coach, Paolo Mendoza, on his consultation meeting last year also  “yearns for such change and supports the integration and the direction of UP’s basketball program in Diliman.”

UPIS finished Season 85 in last place with a 1-13 record, their only win coming on opening day against UE.

Perasol further emphasized that the success of the juniors’ basketball program will bring more attention and support to other UPIS sports programs like volleyball, swimming, athletics, among others, and expand assistance from the broader UP alumni community.

Once the UP Administration gives its go-signal for the integration of UP Diliman’s basketball program, Perasol said it would serve as a big boost for the continued success of the UP Men’s Basketball Team and for the UPIS Juniors Fighting Maroons.

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