La Salle coach Topex Robinson after their UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals loss to UP. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Just moments after La Salle was booted out of its UAAP men’s basketball tournament throne, coach Topex Robinson has already started looking forward to how the Green Archers will be redeeming themselves in Season 88.
“In the next two weeks, it’s gonna be preparation for Season 88 for us,” Robinson said after La Salle was dethroned by University of the Philippines (UP) with a 66-62 Game 3 win on Sunday night.
“We’re excited about it and as long as we know in our hearts that we gave our best, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. We played it until the final buzzer and we did it the way a true La Sallian should do it. We just kept on fighting,” he added.
And none of that excitement for what’s next had been diminished, even a day after program cornerstone Kevin Quiambao announced he wasn’t returning for a fourth year with the Archers.
“I just thanked [Quiambao] for his service. It is what it is. It’s not a surprise that this [is] his final season but we prepared well for this,” Robinson said.
Part of that preparation will be having guys who can fill in for Quiambao, the decorated do-it-all forward who was the spearhead of La Salle’s Season 86 championship run.
Heading that list of talent to be activated is former Ateneo forward Mason Amos, Quiambao’s teammate at Gilas Pilipinas, who served out his residency in Season 87 after ditching his Katipunan address.
Former National University guard Kean Baclaan, a close friend of Quiambao who helped the Bulldogs clinch back-to-back bronze finishes, will also be coming to the fold along with former San Beda star Jacob Cortez and Luis Pablo from Diliman. The three were redshirted for residency this season.
Exciting future
“There’s those guys that are coming in and it’s nice to see the future of the program is still gonna be exciting,” Robinson said. “Having those guys coming in so that’s something to look forward to and be excited about Season 88.”
Quiambao had previously deferred from making an announcement about his decision after the heartbreaking loss to UP in the deciding Game 3 of the men’s basketball finals, saying he needed to rest first. But not even 24 hours later, he confirmed via a social media post that he had played his last game for the Taft-based squad.
“Thank you for 3 wonderful seasons, a lot of sweat, tears and sacrifices,” Quiambao wrote. “Coach Topex [Robinson] and Coach Migs Aytona, I Love You and thank you for unlocking and unleashing KQ.”
“Thank you for believing in me and pushing me to reach my potential. I am so grateful and blessed to have you guys. With that being said, My college career comes to an end, i will Pursue my NBA dream and start my journey by playing professional ball in Goyang Sono SkyGunners (in the Korean Basketball League) and developing my game even more,” he added.
Robinson said he appreciated Quiambao’s time with La Salle.
“He just gave us until that final buzzer and never gave up,” the sophomore UAAP coach said. “He will always be remembered as one of the great La Sallians, I guess one of the best that ever wore that jersey.”
La Salle will also no longer have the services of Lian Ramiro and Joshua David.
And as he leaves the Archers’ fort, Quiambao said his farewells and, up to his last game, he never ran out of words to praise the effort that his teammates put in.
“I’m proud of my teammates. Their hard work since Day 1 was so much and we went through a lot throughout the whole season. I love them all,” he said before putting the rest of the league on notice. “I am excited for the future and [the arriving players]. For sure, they will be scary next season.” INQ