MANILA, Philippines — When basketball players decide on where to bring their talents to next, a lot of factors come into play -- their overall fit in the team, the harmony of their style of play and an organization's program, the personnel, among others.
But for blue chip Filipino-American recruit Zavier Lucero, it was one of the lesser considered elements that played a role in his choice to play for the UP Fighting Maroons.
And that is the Diliman-based squad's fan base.
With a plethora of alumni and students always rallying behind the basketball team, it was a no-brainer for Lucero to associate himself with the UP organization.
"That was one of the things I came to UP [for] was because I heard so much about their support system and their fan base," Lucero said in his guesting on Philstar: Home Base.
"Obviously, that's something that anybody would want to be a part of. In the UAAP in general, the crowd that it attracts, every basketball player would want to play in front of big crowds," he added.
Second only to Ateneo's Ange Kouame in the league's unofficial MVP race, Lucero seems to have been feeding off of the fans in the arena.
He's consistently been the go-to player for the loaded Maroons in the clutch and has delivered more than once in the endgame.
The 22-year-old said that he relishes being able to perform well for the UP crowd, especially considering that not all schools receive the same kind of support.
"It's been amazing, especially to have our fans there," said Lucero.
"It's a big difference than all the other schools because whether we're playing at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m., we have a good showing of support and we couldn't be more thankful," he added.