By ANGELO JACINTO
LA SALLE’s Kevin Quiambao is set to be named the UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player this Sunday after a stellar tournament that saw him break out as the undisputed best player at the collegiate level this year.
But if he doesn’t want his coronation to be his final game of the season, he has to figure out how to play like an MVP once again.
Quiambao didn’t offer any excuses after the Green Archers got mauled by the red-hot University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 97-67, in Game One of the UAAP Season 86 Finals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday night.
Averaging 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.9 steals this season, “KQ” was a miniature of his dominant self in the blowout loss as he finished with just 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal in 31 minutes of action.
If they want a fighting chance in this series, he knows that he can’t play like this.
“After the game, talagang siyempre ako, sobrang nadismaya lalo na sa pinakita ko, minus 22 the whole game? Sobrang sama,” he said.
“Good thing naman na series itong finals na’to. May Game Two pa.”
UP coach Goldwin Monteverde gave his former high school star different looks defensively in this game, going on a smaller but quicker defender in Reyland Torres for most parts of the game, while guys like Sean Torculas and Francis Lopez all took turns in stopping the do-it-all forward.
The 22-year-old said that instead of sticking with coach Topex Robinson’s system, he veered away from it and tried to do things his way.
“For me personally nagulat ako sa different looks na binigay nila. Di ako nakapag-adjust agad,” he said.
“Sa tingin ko hindi naman siguro [factor yung familiarity] para sa 'kin hindi lang ako naglaro under sa system ni coach. Siguro na-out of system ako. Siguro sa familiarity naman hindi naman siguro dahil magkaiba naman sa sistema.”
Bouncing back from a 30-point loss won’t be easy, but there’d be no point in crying over spilled milk for Quiambao and the Green Archers.
A quick change in mindset and a fresh start would help the Green Archers, as Quiambao promised to bring his A-Game come Sunday.
“For us yung mindsent namin kailangan namin ibahin. Yung approach namin sa game kailangan namin ibahin. Na-disappoint talaga ako sa pinakita ko in this game,” he said.
“Pero this coming Game 2 expect niyo na ibang Kevin Quiambao ang makikita niyo.”
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