CHICAGO - "Is he bound to leave for Korea?"
The question arrived this morning via text message, and it came from La Salle men's basketball head coach Topex Robinson.
Of course, the "he" that Robinson referred to is presumptive Season 87 MVP Kevin Quiambao, the eye of a Green Archers storm which is about to make landfall at this year's UAAP Finals beginning with Game One on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.
READ Kevin Quiambao set to fly out to Korea immediately after UAAP Finals
Robinson's obliviousness to KQ's international travel itinerary isn't surprising. Unlike the standard-issue college coach who can be maniacal in the control of all aspects of a player's life, Topex presides over a locker room democracy.
Other than reminding them to be good citizens and drink their vitamins and minerals, coach Topex doesn't inject himself in his players' lives outside the lines. More so now when back-to-back titles are at stake.
"Our focus is this season and the impending finals. We don't talk about things that are not related to our current season," Robinson said of their facility to compartmentalize.
TOMORROW CAN WAIT.
The former NCAA and PBA coach is more worried about the championship series' arrival than KQ's imminent departure.
"UP is a force to reckon with. They can damage you at all corners. You just have to choose your poison. UP came in Season 87 as the best college team in the country. We need to be 15-man strong because they are 16-man strong."
Thirteen years after he began to transition from the playing court to the sidelines, Robinson is on the threshold of winning his second straight championship at La Salle in as many years.
Quite an awesome feat, but while his clipboard is smoldering right now, UP's is on fire.
"The talent and experience of their coaching staff is the main reason that they've been in the finals for five straight years," coach Topex said of his tactical adversaries led by the extremely decorated Goldwin Monteverde.
Hours leading into battle, Robinson reflected on how they got here.
SURVIVING HUNTING SEASON.
"Being the hunted team as defending champions in Season 87 was a tough one. So we did our collective best to set the standard high at all times."
However it plays out and wherever it takes them, the Green Archers journey is destined to end either on Game 2 on December 11 at the MOA Arena or four days later in a Game 3, if necessary, at the Araneta Coliseum.
With the approaching climax to another season's worth of hard work and triumph, coach Topex did ponder, just a tad bit, about life without Kevin.
"He has set the standard for this program and the whole La Salle community will forever be grateful."
Sad as that imminent parting will be, La Salle will survive this staggering loss of a star of KQ's caliber. That's just how the basketball ecosystem works. Players move out and organizations move on.
"Our responsibility is to always build a championship caliber team year in and year out."
And with the even-tempered Topex Robinson, it's clear that La Salle has exactly the right man for the job.
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