IT’S been a long time coming, but playing for the University of the Philippines has proven to be worth the wait for Quentin Millora-Brown.
In the Fighting Maroons' perfect four-game start to UAAP Season 87, the 6-foot-10 Fil-American has posted per game counts of 7.8 points, 9.3 boards, and 1.3 blocks, topped by his first double-double of 11 markers and 13 rebounds against FEU.
READ: UP rising to 4-0 after running roughshod over FEU
Millora-Brown has long been on State U's radar, ever since former coach Bo Perasol moved up as program director and handed over shot-calling reins to Goldwin Monteverde back in 2021.
Perasol is now director of the UP Office for Athletics and Development, while Monteverde continues to shine his light upon the maroon-and-green.
Still, it's only now that they finally managed to reel in QMB - who will have to go one-and-done in Diliman.
Better late than never, though, especially since the 24 year old's journey to the Fighting Maroons is a personal one.
The family ties that bind
There’s one person, in particular, who played a ‘huge part’ in Millora-Brown's decision to play for UP: his lolo Angel, an alumnus of the UP College of Medicine in 1963.
“He always would tell us stories about his time here in the Philippines before he went to America. He was born during the war, so he would tell us all the different things that he loved about the Philippines,” Millora-Brown told SPIN.ph.
“Sometimes, when he's just thinking back on his college days, he tells all these stories about what he used to do in the summer. He would go out and go to different places, (like) Boracay just before it really got bigger. Just hearing his stories made me want to experience it.”
Maroon-blooded winning culture
And so far into his collegiate career, it’s been nothing but joy — and wins — for QMB and UP in a masterful opening act.
Now that he’s here for what will be his first and final year, the modern big vows to give it all he’s got to uphold the Fighting Maroons' winning culture - and ultimately, win back the crown after two years of championship heartbreak.
“I’m just trying to keep that winning culture and protect it at all times. I think there's a lot of respect amongst players who play basketball at the highest level. I think that everyone understands that we want to win, so that's really where we all are," he said.
QMB added: “We want to win, we want to win big, and we understand what it takes every day. So there's not really any tension between players because there's one goal in mind."
“I love the guys I play with. That's the best part for me.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
