ATENEO head coach Tab Baldwin lauded La Salle's Kevin Quiambao's approach to the game.
"Kevin (Quiambao)’s a very good basketball player. If you guys knew anything about Kevin, the thing that you would rave about is his work ethic, his practice ethic. And I don’t get to see it but by reputation in basketball circles, it’s extraordinary," Baldin said.
"What you see is the byproduct of that. More players should be like that and they could be more like him."
READ: Quiambao keen to follow Topex system despite capability to take over
Ateneo won its first meeting with old rival La Salle in UAAP Season 86, and its ninth in their last ten meetings.
But ultimately, it was the Archers' emerging main man and reigning UAAP Rookie of the Year who won high praise from the Eagles' longtime tactician.
"The thing that separates Kevin from a lot of players when it comes to game time is that you see some guys, in as long as I’ve been in the game, that really light up when the game’s on but they might not have a great practice ethic. He’s got both," Baldwin added.
"When it’s game time, you get the best of Kevin because he absolutely loves it. He’s excited by the game and it’s where he brings his tools from all his work to put them into play. That’s why he plays with such confidence. That’s the X factor with Kevin. That’s what makes him not just good, but really good, is that he’s so confident," he explained.
A 'trusted' young star
Quiambao admitted he was frustrated after getting into foul trouble late in the third. He still wounded up with a second straight double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
"For me, adrenaline siguro. Good thing din na ‘yung tiwala sa’kin ni Coach Topex (Robinson) nandun kaya nailabas ko ‘yung laro ko dahil nag-stick ako sa system," Quiambao said.
"Bad thing lang na medyo kapos lang (kami sa Ateneo). Talagang na-frustrate din ako dahil four fouls na ako nu’ng third quarter at ‘di ako nakatulong early sa fourth. Minaximize ko lang ‘yung minutes na binigay sa’kin ni Coach Topex. Ginawa ko lahat pero move on na kami," he added.
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