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UAAP: Sacrifices worth it for UP captain Paul Desiderio

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/11/15/20181115_up.jpg"/><figcaption>UP captain Paul Desiderio. Arvin Lim, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/basketball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Paul Desiderio&#x27;s UAAP career quite literally started from the bottom.Desiderio was a rookie in 2013 when the University of the Philippines (UP) slumped their way to a 0-14 season. The memories of that trying year has not left Desiderio, even as the Fighting Maroons steadily improved over the next few seasons.He went on to become UP&#x27;s hero – who can ever forget his iconic &quot;Atin &#x27;to&quot; battle cry in Season 80? And now, with the Fighting Maroons set to play in the Final 4 for the first time in 21 years, Desiderio is euphoric.&quot;Napakasarap,&quot; said Desiderio, after UP clobbered De La Salle University, 97-81, on Wednesday to secure the third seed in the UAAP Season 81 semifinals.&quot;Nag-start ako ng 0-14,&quot; he reminisced. &quot;Tapos ngayon, Final 4. May chance pa mag-finals. May chance pang mag-champion kung ganoon. So buhay pa kami.&quot;&quot;Buhay pa ang UP,&quot; he stressed.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2018/11/15/this-happens-up-community-shows-49865">READ: This is what happens when the UP community shows up</a></li></ul>Desiderio blew a kiss to the UP gallery at the Mall of Asia Arena as the game was winding down, then waved a towel ecstatically as they celebrated their triumph. Later, he was grinning even as his teammates became emotional while singing the UP Naming Mahal.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtinToPapasokTo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AtinToPapasokTo</a> <a href="https://t.co/kwwtVFjMce">pic.twitter.com/kwwtVFjMce</a>— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/abscbnsports/status/1062662349939589120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>For the graduating guard, this day – this game – was the payoff for all the sacrifices he had made and all the opportunities he had turned down in favor of returning to UP for his fifth and final season.&quot;Pinag-isipan ko kung babalik ako o hindi,&quot; he admitted.&quot;&#x27;Yun nga, pagbalik ko, sacrifice talaga ako. My personal goal, sinakripisyo ko para sa team,&quot; he added.There is no doubt that those sacrifices were worth it.&quot;Worth it naman. Sobrang saya,&quot; said Desiderio.&quot;Sobrang saya ko, kasi sobrang hyped &#x27;yung community,&quot; he also said. &quot;Sobrang first time ko na mas marami kami sa La Salle.&quot;Desiderio and this batch of UP players have already etched their name in the record books, but the captain vowed that they will not be satisfied with this.&quot;Kailangan positive lagi. Lagi naming iniisip na one game at a time,&quot; said Desiderio. &quot;Mag-celebrate kami ngayon, pero next day sa practice, focus na kami sa Adamson.&quot;For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">Sports website.</a>

Paul Desiderio was a rookie in 2013 when the University of the Philippines slumped their way to a 0-14 season.

Paul Desiderio was a rookie in 2013 when the University of the Philippines slumped their way to a 0-14 season.

UAAP: Sacrifices worth it for UP captain Paul Desiderio

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UAAP: Sacrifices worth it for UP captain Paul Desiderio

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 15, 2018 01:01 PM PHT

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basketball

UP Fighting Maroons

Paul Desiderio

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