KEVIN Quiambao may have taken the backseat last time for La Salle, but don’t expect it to be the norm for the reigning and defending Season and Finals MVP.
READ: How did KQ take being benched in La Salle's comeback win vs FEU?
And with the University of the Philippines up next, the Gilas Pilipinas forward made it clear that he’s putting himself to work to get back his old, deadly form.
“Hinahabol ko yung conditioning ko kasi ang mindset namin is to treat every game as a championship game and to honor our seniors. Kahit sino yung kalaban namin, gusto lang naming ipakita yung best namin,” he said.
It’s a test of durability not just for Quiambao, but for the 11-1 Green Archers, as they try to keep up their stellar play against the Fighting Maroons (9-2) on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Though the Taft side is already in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball Final Four and has secured a twice-to-beat advantage to boot, coach Topex Robinson still wants his wards to be at their best - just like how they’ve done for the duration of the tournament, as they slowly shift their attention to the bigger wars ahead.
“We don't really put too much attention on who we're gonna play because we don't have control of what they're gonna do. What we have full control of is how we're gonna prepare and how we're gonna see this game which is gonna be another exciting ball game for us,” he stated.
Emotions are expected to be heightened in this 6:30 p.m. game, especially with the backdrop of the alleged spitting incident in their first round matchup, a 68-58 La Salle win last Oct. 6, looming over everyone’s heads.
READ: Topex breaks silence, cries foul after spitting accusations
But Robinson wants everyone to move forward from that and keep their eyes on the action inside the court – all the more as many expect this Finals rematch to also be an early preview of this season’s championship tussle.
As he put it, “This is what the UAAP is all about: it's all about competition and then we're always gonna go out and competing and trying to challenge ourselves and see where we're gonna be at, especially playing against one of the best teams in college right now.”
Must-win situation for both Adamson, NU
Meanwhile, urgency will be at an all-time high for Adamson (4-7) and National University (4-8) when they collide at 2 p.m.
Their Final Four chances are still alive, but both the Soaring Falcons and the Bulldogs understand that the walls are slowly caving in if they don’t pick up the necessary wins.
Luckily, they’ve stepped up their games.
Adamson is coming off a 45-37 stunner of University of the East last week, while NU just shocked University of Santo Tomas, 67-62, last Wednesday to avoid elimination and keep their flailing hopes up.
This is poised to be another close match-up, with Cedrick Manzano and Mathew Montebon seeking a repeat of the Soaring Falcons' 60-58 escape last Sept. 25 courtesy of a Joshua Yerro game-winner, while Jake Figueroa and Jolo Manansala aim to get one back for the Bulldogs
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.
