Zav Lucero just simply wanted to fire up his teammates when he insisted on seeing action despite his injured status.

But he did more than that: He inspired the entire basketball community.

University of the Philippines program director Bo Perasol couldn't find the right word to describe Lucero's gesture of showing up for the crucial Game 3 of their Season 85 University Athletic Association of the Philippines men's basketball tournament best-of-three finals series against Ateneo de Manila University late Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Perasol said Lucero had been wanting to play despite tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in Game 2, but the coaches were strongly against it, knowing that it could only aggravate his injury and jeopardize his career.

"The kid is a fighter," Perasol told Daily Tribune in the aftermath of their 68-75 loss to the Blue Eagles that knocked the crown off their heads.

"Actually, he couldn't walk after Game 2 but our therapist did a good job in reducing the pain. He asked the coaches if he can play for a few minutes just to inspire his teammates, but they turned it down."
"First, it will give his teammates a false sense of complacency that he is still there and, second, it could further aggravate his injury and jeopardize his career. We don't want it to happen. His health is far more important than anything else."

Perasol said more than his tough defense, they would definitely miss Lucero's great attitude and winning mentality as they try to regain the title in Season 86 next year.

Aside from Lucero, who was already booked to return to San Francisco on 22 December, they will also lose Henry Galinato, AJ Madrigal, CJ Catapusan and team captain Brix Ramos to graduation.

They, however, will be bringing back prized transferee CJ Cansino and former National University stalwarts Janjan Felicilda and Reyland Torres together with a handful of rookies like Lowell Briones Jr. and Mark Belmonte – depending on their performance in the off-season.