AFTER taking a huge leap forward in its Final Four hunt over league leader UP, La Salle head coach Topex Robinson is now eager more than ever to instill a championship-winning mindset on his wards.
And in his 12th year of coaching (fifth year in college basketball), Robinson cited how key lessons from his time with the now-defunct Alaska Aces in the PBA still prove to be valuable in his debut season with La Salle.
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"For us kasi coming into this game (versus UP), I just told them what I’ve really learned from being with the Alaska Aces organization," Robinson said.
"One thing’s written on that board is ‘what can you do today that will get you closer to winning a championship?’"
Robinson spent five years as a deputy coach for the Aces, in which they won the 2013 PBA Commissioner's Cup title over Ginebra in a three-game sweep.
With a 7-3 (win-loss) record ahead of the last four prelims games, the Archers have placed themselves in solo third and in a competitive position to grab the twice-to-beat bonus from either UP or NU with identical 8-2 cards.
But for Robinson, his team is locked in on the bigger picture than just positioning themselves high up in the standings.
"We just focus on today and how we can get better. We’re not really looking at that (twice-to-beat advantage) because sa’min kasi, we just want to build and ride off that momentum. I love the way these guys are competing against each other," Robinson shared.
The value of 'teammanship'
One key virtue that Robinson has continually instilled upon the Archers in his first year at the helm is 'teammanship.'
"We use the term ‘teammanship.’ For you to be an elite team, you don’t only need leaders but you also need to have great teammates. Teammanship means whoever has the ball, they have to share that basketball and we had (19) assists in a big game like this against UP," said Robinson.
"Sinasabi nga ni KQ (Kevin Quiambao), it’s not just about him but also the rest of the guys. It’s nice to see Mike (Phillips) back in action, F (Escandor) played well against UP, and obviously Poli (Policarpio) is playing really well. But we also have to acknowledge our support like Josh (David), Joaqui (Manuel) played well this evening," he added.
"It’s all about everybody. Everybody matters, and we got the victory today."
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