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UAAP: For hobbling Lucero, entering court late in Game 3 'warmed' his heart

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Aeron Gabriel V. Pantig

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2386944" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>As the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons were about to yield their reign to the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/19/22/ateneo-holds-off-up-to-regain-uaap-mens-basketball-crown">Ateneo Blue Eagles</a>, an injured Zavier Lucero made a surprise appearance in his final UAAP game. The graduating forward, who suffered an ACL tear in Game 2, entered the court with 0.7 seconds remaining in the game to shoot a technical free throw after Ateneo was called for improper bench decorum for celebrating too early on the court.Lucero sank the free throw in front of a roaring 21,814 crowd.“The plan was whether we were gonna win or gonna lose, I did wanna check in one last time just to hear the support from the crowd. And the UP community warmed my heart for sure,” the 23-year-old said.“That’s something I’m gonna remember for the rest of my life, too.”Lucero saw action for just a fraction of a second in Game 3, but the rest of the Fighting Maroons made sure to bring his energy to the floor and offer the game to their hurt teammate.Before tip-off, the Fighting Maroons warmed up wearing shirts that had &quot;ZAV&quot; printed on the front and Lucero’s jersey No. 22 at the back.Unfortunately, UP failed to mount a comeback and defend its crown against the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 75-68, on Monday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. Out of California State Maritime University, Lucero committed to the Diliman squad and strengthened the Fighting Maroons’ Season 84 campaign. He had an instant impact on the team and was hailed as a Mythical Five member in his first season in the local collegiate league.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The Fighting Maroons rallied behind injured Zavier Lucero (pictured) by wearing a shirt bearing his name ahead of Game 3. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/12/19/20221219-lucero.jpg"/><figcaption>The Fighting Maroons rallied behind injured Zavier Lucero (pictured) by wearing a shirt bearing his name ahead of Game 3. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>As his two-year stint in the UAAP ended, Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde believes that UP will not be the team it is right now without Lucero. “Whether he scores big or not, talaga makikita mo yung (impact) niya. Impact wise for those two years, for me hindi kami aabot dito kung wala siya,” Monteverde said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/20/22/uaap-ups-tamayo-says-ready-for-whatever-opportunity">UP&#x27;s Tamayo says ready for &#x27;whatever opportunity&#x27; with UAAP return uncertain</a></li></ul>As his two-year stint in the UAAP ended, Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde believes that UP will not be the team it is right now without Lucero. “Whether he scores big or not, talaga makikita mo yung (impact) niya. Impact wise for those two years, for me hindi kami aabot dito kung wala siya,” Monteverde said.

'I did wanna check in one last time just to hear the support from the crowd,' the out-going UP player said.