La Salle coach Topex Robinson and the Green Archers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — In his first UAAP Finals appearance, La Salle coach Topex Robinson wants the Green Archers to “enjoy the moment” when they try to end a seven-year title drought against top seed University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the Season 86 Finals starting on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
After missing the Finals for the past six years, Robinson steered La Salle back to the biggest stage of collegiate basketball in his first season after the Green Archers beat National University, 97-73, in their Final Four clash on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“For six years we haven’t reached the finals so we just wanna make sure that we have to remember what brought us here, what brought us the wins, the culture that we built, winning is going to be the byproduct of that. We’re gonna go through a lot of challenges but we have to always remind ourselves that we have to always enjoy the moments that we share together,” said Robinson. “Just like what I always remind them, you’re always going to go back in your UAAP career, wherever you go, so we wanna make sure we enjoy each and every moment.”
In the first-ever UP-La Salle Finals series, the Green Archers are brimming with confidence with nine straight wins including a second-round sweep, which Robinson wants his wards to put behind them in facing the three-straight Finalists, Fighting Maroons.
Coach Topex Robinson and La Salle star Kevin Quiambao. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
“That nine games is already done and over with. It brought us to the finals but it’s not gonna define this championship. We know UP, they’ve been here for the longest time, they have a great team and we just wanna keep on competing against the best. Whatever happens, we’re going to come here as somebody from the outside,” the La Salle coach said.
From starting the first round with a 4-3 record to becoming the hottest team in the UAAP right now, the first-year coach credited their huge turnaround to his players, led by MVP frontrunner Kevin Quiambao.
“These guys are just really going every day. Our job is only 10 percent of what they do, 90 percent is credited to the players that we have. I guess what’s important again is how the trust was built throughout those challenges, especially in the first round, you know, we really woke up in making sure that those losses are learning opportunities for us,” said Robinson. “We’re still going to make mistakes but they became more aware, when they make a mistake, they know they made a mistake. And we don’t blame each other here, somebody has to step up to the plate and take the responsibility. That’s why they were able to really just grow in this team that we’re building and making memories.”
And even coming off a dominant win against NU, Robinson urges the Green Archers to work on their rebounding after getting outrebounded by the Bulldogs by one, 41-42.
The first-time UAAP finalist coach is putting a premium on out-hustlingte the star-studded Fighting Maroons, led by reigning MVP Malick Diouf and Rookie of the Year candidate Francis Lopez.
“No rebounds, no rings. We have to make sure that we work on it. Having those big guys for UP is going to be a big challenge for us. But again that’s just one of the things that we need to take care of, that team is loaded with really superstar players,” said Robinson. “We just have to make sure that the only way to beat that team is to outwork them and that’s going to be our main focus, just doing the right thing all the time even if we don’t feel like doing it. We just have to bring our discipline against UP.”