MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Nothing came easy for La Salle when it ended a seven-year championship drought in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament last year.
The Green Archers know things will be even harder this season.
“We really have to find ways to win. We know that all teams are gonna be out there guns blazing every time that they’re going to be up against us,” coach Topex Robinson said on Sunday night after a 78-75 escape act against National University (NU) in their UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball duel at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
That’s why mindset is important for the defending champions, who are trying to excise that title from their minds.
“We decided last season that we want to win the championship. And, it’s given to us now. So, we know the responsibility of being the previous champions. And, we kind of take that out of our vocabulary—we’re not defending anything right now,” Robinson added.
Instead, the Archers play like they are gunning for one.
Faced with a seven-point deficit late in the game, La Salle star and MVP Kevin Quiambao played like he was chasing a first title.
Quiambao unveiled his deadeye persona to sink crucial buckets and will the Archers to victory.
Take-over mode
“As one of the veterans in the team, I needed to show that I won’t let us lose,” Quiambao said. “I told them that it’s not yet over and that we just need to execute what we need to do.”
“I told myself that I need to be in take-over mode and be the reliable guy for my teammates so what I did is become the glue guy and lead by example,” the program cornerstone said after contributing 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
NU definitely brought its A-game against La Salle and Robinson recognizes that effort. But the sophomore coach knows that if the Archers want another successful campaign, they quickly need to get their act together and not let up against any opponent.
Not with every team trying to aim at the target behind their backs.
“When you don’t respect this game, you don’t respect the opponent, that’s gonna happen to you,” Robinson said. “We will learn from these experiences. We’d rather play these kinds of game that will test us. We have seven … rookies. The more that they get exposed, it pretty much prepares us for the finals.”
“Like what we were talking about before the game, all games that we will play, we’re gonna treat it as championships until we get used to it,” he added. INQ