UAAP: Relationships making things work at La Salle

Kevin Quiambao (left) and coach Topex Robinson share a mock-intense moment after a key triple by the La Salle forward in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball. —UAAP MEDIA

In the heat of an intense game, with the atmosphere thick with the air of rivalry, Kevin Quiambao and Topex Robinson found a light moment to help ease the tension.

It happened just before La Salle pulled away against Ateneo late Sunday night.

Quiambao tossed a pass that resulted in a turnover and Robinson called him out for it, telling the do-it-all forward to take the shot instead.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

“He told me [the next time] he’s going to shoot it even if it’s from afar and I told him, ‘shoot it,’ and that’s what he did,” Robinson said. “And I later said I was right because he did shoot it [in the next play] and it went in. That’s what we were joking about.”

Quiambao did take a shot after making another pass, pulling up for a triple that led to a 36-25 lead en route to a 74-61 victory over Ateneo in their UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball showdown over rival Ateneo in front of 12,478 fans at Mall of Asia Arena.

READ: UAAP: La Salle remains unbeaten, sends Ateneo to 0-3 start

“When I made the shot, I looked at coach and asked him, ‘so, are you still going to blame me? I took the shot and made it,’” Quiambao recalled. “Those are the moments that I enjoy because every game, there is a moment you need to treasure. It’s important for a player like me to have a relationship with a coach where we get to do what we want on the court.”

Bag of skills

No matter where he has coached, Robinson has always put a premium on building relationships within the team, hammering concepts of togetherness into the team culture.

It’s no different with the Archers.

“We always use us, ours and we. That’s really the key to this,” Robinson said.

READ: UAAP: La Salle’s strong bond, togetherness evident in latest win

And it’s working.

The Archers won the title last year and lead the current season with a 3-0 (win-loss) record. Team veterans Quiambao and Mike Phillips have been crucial to the early run of success.

Against Ateneo, Quiambao had 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, thriving in a system that allows him to maximize his deep bag of skills.

“That freedom to play in a free-flowing offense, the defense we have, everything we do—the relationship we have with each other plays a big role [in being able to do that],” Quiambao said.

Robinson agrees.

“[I]t’s really nice to have that kind of relationship with these guys wherein we kinda flattened the hierarchy that I’m not the head coach, I just happen to have the title,” added the tactful mentor, who shares a class with Quiambao as sports science majors.