UAAP: Team rule relieves La Salle of stinging defeat

La Salle Green Archers’ Mike Phillips during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

After a first loss in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, La Salle turned to its rule for comfort and with it, found a way to return to winning.

“We have a 24-hour rule that whatever happens to a previous game, we’re gonna move forward after,” coach Topex Robinson told the Inquirer after the Green Archers improved to a 4-1 record following a 68-62 triumph against Far Eastern University (FEU) on Wednesday.

La Salle’s previously unbeaten run was stopped sharply by University of the East (UE), 75-71, on Sunday as the defending champion was visibly perplexed by the underdogs.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

But the Archers, even if they were again pushed to the limit by the Tamaraws, did not let that first loss affect them even further.

“When you get so used to winning, it’s like you’re committing a sin when you lose,” Robinson said in a separate interview. “But I guess what it did to us as a team is it grounded us. It just reminded us that this season is gonna be hard and even harder just like what happened today (Wednesday) with FEU.”

“If it doesn’t kill us, it’s gonna make us stronger. That’s just the story of our season right now,” he added.

READ: Topex tells Kevin Quiambao: ‘Be a responsible father, partner’

Main gunners Mike Phillips and new father Kevin Quiambao, who just had a son with his girlfriend on the eve of La Salle’s matchup against the Tams, definitely showed up stronger with respective double-double outings.

Archers’ 1-2 punch

La Salle Green Archers’ star Kevin Quiambao during the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Phillips, who hammered the nails in the coffin against FEU, finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds to go along with two blocks while the reigning MVP, despite lacking sleep before the game, came up with 12 points and 11 rebounds and neared a triple-double with eight assists.

Being the go-to guy for La Salle, Quiambao uncharacteristically missed two crucial free throws that could’ve helped his crew complete a come-from-behind win against UE. But there are no fingers being pointed at the La Salle cornerstone.

“Nobody wants to miss those free throws so we’re not gonna put him on the spot. It’s gonna be me who’s gonna take that responsibility and it’s just another experience for us,” Robinson said.

“Those things are the stuff that we’re gonna be laughing at 30 years from now, like, ‘Oh, you got nervous,’ so we don’t wanna take away the fun out of what we’re doing right now because this won’t happen again so we wanna make sure we enjoy it.”

La Salle is making no excuses for the UE loss and Robinson has taught the Archers something that could help them achieve their ultimate goal down the line.

“As much as finding for reasons or excuses, we just told ourselves that UE did a great job [and] we cannot dwell on that anymore. So we put a dot on it and said UE did a great job, what did FEU pick up from that UE game that might be used against us … became our [focus],” Robinson said.

“[The Warriors] really did their job, we really don’t consider it as an upset and UE just gave us something that helped us. It kinda cleaned up the pressure of not losing,” the sophomore coach added.

“Obviously, you always play to win and I guess I am just glad that [the loss] happened sooner than later for us because it kinda grounded us … and experience will always be the best teacher, so obviously it’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s just a test of how these guys, us coaches will respond.”