JHI, STATS Performance Apparel renews UP MBT partnership

Partnership renewed

The partnership continues.

Both Januarius Holdings, Inc. and the University of the Philippines announced that the partnership between the two for the men's basketball program will be renewed for a couple more seasons.

The partnership allows the JHI and its athleisure brand STATS Performance Apparel to remain as the team's official outfitter after having the role last season.

JHI President/CEO JJ Atencio shares, "Our journey with the UPMBT started three years ago, when, acting on a strong gut feeling, we decided to be major sponsors, despite the team’s just coming out of a lackluster season, the absence of significant community support, and my not even being a UP alumnus. We wanted to be part of the dream and help create something that eventually we could all be proud of.  Fast forward to today, it’s a completely different situation, isn’t it?"

He adds, "While the team has accomplished a lot these past years, the work isn’t finished yet. That dream continues to unfold. Success is a process after all, and we continue to be motivated and encouraged to keep on supporting and being part of this journey - in good times and bad. We think that the next two years will be really good for the team."

JHI has been supporting the teams since 2017 and has been instrumental with the preparations for the Fighting Maroons, most notably with their overseas training activities, starting in Las Vegas in 2017, Serbia in 2018, and Tokyo last year.

Although the pandemic has virtually ruled out overseas activities for the team this year, Atencio believes in this particular aspect of the team's preparation, "We’ve seen it. After three straight years of training abroad, we placed fifth the first year, second in the second year, and third after last year’s training. We’re still committed to sending the team for training abroad in Seasons 83 and 84 as soon as it’s possible."

The new partnership also establishes a new line of commitment from JHI/STATS to the Fighting Maroons: data analytics.

According to Atencio, "What’s also exciting for us starting this year is analytics. That’s one of the things we are working on with the team and that’s what we’re looking forward to -- how it would help them."

UP MBT head coach Bo Perasol bares, "We are beyond grateful for having JJ [Atencio] and STATS in the team for the past three years and a couple more. Despite the COVID-19 situation, he still chose to stay on. He is as determined as we are to see everything through. More than the financial aspect of things, the moral support they have given us from the start is priceless. JJ is like a father or a brother to the players and us coaches. His kindness and faith in the team truly inspires us."

UP MBT manager Atty. Agaton Uvero adds, "Sir JJ Atencio was one of the first to give hope to our program. A believer in the value of education, he graciously sponsored the team’s first overseas training when all we had to show was a promise to do our best. Four years after, we now have a sustainable program and a team that is going to be competitive for many years to come. We will always be grateful for his support."

To commemorate the renewed partnership, a memorandum of agreement signing was conducted, involving Atencio, Perasol, Uvero, NTGBUP Foundation founder Renan Dalisay III, JHI COO Marcy Valenzuela, and STATS CEO Edrin Panganiban.