Amid defeat, Ricci Rivero grateful to have played for UP

Ricci Rivero's much-anticipated debut season for University of the Philippines ended in heartbreak, after the Fighting Maroons were knocked out by University of Santo Tomas in their do-or-die matchup on Wednesday.

Still, the high-flying guard expressed gratitude for having been able to suit up for the state university.

"I was thanking God for everything, for giving us the chance to represent the school that we love and being able to play the sport that we love the most, and being able to play with players, and a coach who is really one of the best here in the country," he added.

Rivero, who posted 12 points and five rebounds in the losing cause, said the experience is something he and his teammates could take forward.

"We still have so much to improve on," Rivero said. "If winning is something that we will only feel, it's gonna be hard for us to learn kasi it's harder to learn when you're winning all the time and not feeling the pain and being able to learn a lot from losing."

Rivero arrived in UP alongside another prized recruit, Kobe Paras, transfering from De La Salle University where he played two years. Along with Season 81 Most Valuable Player Bright Akhuetie and brothers Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño, the Fighting Maroons were primed to be favorites to return to the finals.

But Rivero said it was not easy to gel with a "team full of stars."

"I gave everything, I learned how to adjust, especially on a team that's full of stars," Rivero said.

"For me, I really focused on defense. I had lapses because honestly, I'm not really good at playing the lockdown defender kind of thing but, I embraced my role a lot kasi I know this is gonna help me not just as a basketball player but as a person, adjusting and thinking about the bigger picture, not just about myself," he added.

Rivero averaged 7.14 points and 3.93 rebounds at the end of the elimination round this season. —JST, GMA News