Goldwin Monteverde eyed as UPIS head coach

Goldwin Monteverde could be coaching the UPIS Junior Maroons while staying as the senior Maroons' head coach. Dennis Acosta (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Goldwin Monteverde could be set to coach the University of the Philippines' men's basketball teams at both college and high school levels.

The Fighting Maroons confirmed on Saturday that Monteverde, the current college team head coach, is being eyed to coach the high school team as well.

No less than UP basketball team director Bo Perasol endorsed the appointment to UP president Angelo Jimenez.

"In a letter to UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, Coach 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 Goldwin Monteverde as concurrent coach of both the seniors and juniors’ program," the Maroons said in a statement.

If approved, Monteverde will be replacing Paolo Mendoza as the UP Integrated School head coach, and according to Perasol, Mendoza “yearns for such change and supports the integration and the direction of UP’s basketball program in Diliman.”

Perasol further explained, “To ensure the 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.”

The Junior Maroons are seeking retribution after dropping to a league-worst 1-13 record this season, and Perasol hopes that Monteverde, who led the senior Maroons to two straight UAAP Finals appearances and the Season 84 title, could be the catalyst for the turnaround and probably their first chip since 2002.

“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 the championship,” Perasol said.

Monteverde is no longer new to coaching a UAAP boys' basketball team as he previously coached Nazareth School of National University prior to accepting the role to coach UP in the seniors' division.

He led the Bullpups to back-to-back UAAP titles and back-to-back ASEAN School Games championships before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped varsity hoops for a couple of years.

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