UAAP: Topex not backing down from La Salle ‘championship or bust’ challenge

La Salle coach Topex Robinson in the Filoil preseason Cup final. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — New La Salle coach Topex Robinson is embracing the pressure of fulfilling the “championship or bust” goal for the Green Archers in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament starting this weekend at Mall of Asia Arena.

Robinson, who took over the La Salle coaching reins last January, admitted that he received a marching order to win the UAAP championship, which the school has been missing since 2017.

“I just had a meeting with one of our managers. He just mentioned that it’s all about winning a championship,” Robinson told reporters. “With this color, [it] requires a lot of responsibility. And we always wanna make sure we prepare this team to always be at its best in every opportunity that we can. Making sure that we make our colors proud.”

The former PBA player-turned-coach accepts the challenge, believing that it’s part of the opportunity given to him “to coach a successful program like DLSU.”

“Just like what they said, there’s always two persons in this world. Winners and losers. No in-between. You always have to try to be the best, nobody wants to associate themselves with losers,” Robinson said. “It’s a responsibility that we have to take as a staff and we’re just fortunate that are here that are winners so it’s a matter of us working together and guiding this team in the finals.”

https://sports.inquirer.net/491453/derick-pumaren-says-no-notification-yet-from-la-salle-on-his-non-renewal

The Green Archers missed the Final Four of Season 85 after finishing with a 7-7 record and losing to the Adamson Falcons in the playoff for No.4. The new La Salle coach said his wards, led by holdovers Kevin Quiambao, Evan Nelle, and Ben and Mike Phillips, are eager to redeem themselves from an underwhelming finish.

“The players know the responsibility to represent DLSU and they always hear it from everybody. It’s the norm and we always try to be at our best,” Robinson said. “Since we started training camp, my first day, Kevin, Evan, Joaqui (Manuel) and the Phillips brothers spoke to me and just told me about the responsibility. And the good thing about it is it’s a collective responsibility. It’s not just gonna be one player, one coach but with everybody. so, the order is tall and I guess we’re just happy to have that kind of responsibility.”

“We got guys that are really winners so that makes me excited and obviously the trust is there both ways. I’ve been with winners like those players and it’s just a matter of passing it on and making it really a habit or the character that we wanna build. Hopefully, we’re gonna keep the tradition alive, and then just keep on winning,” he added.

The 48-year-old Robinson, who led Lyceum to back-to-back NCAA finals appearances in 2016 and 2017, said he is grateful to have inherited the program built by coach Derick Pumaren with the players eager to prove themselves after two consecutive heartbreaking seasons.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to lead the team and I hope injuries barring and all of those issues, hopefully, we could really be a good, competitive team,” the veteran coach said. “We have a veteran team so they’ve been through a lot. They know a feeling of not making it so it’s really a given to them that they really want to prove themselves this season.”

Robinson makes its UAAP debut on Sunday when La Salle takes on Far Eastern University on Sunday at MOA Arena.