TOPEX Robinson has always been blessed as a head coach – he himself admitted that as he jumped from one thought to another in the customary post-game press conference after winning his second title with La Salle on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
“These guys made it happen. I’m just a vessel for this. I cannot hold my emotion on just how much I was praying for this,” Robinson said as he broke down in tears right outside of the La Salle locker room after the Green Archers’ title-clinching Game 3 win over the UP Fighting Maroons.
READ: La Salle a champion anew after besting UP in title trilogy
“Wala na kong makapitan e. I was just thankful and I was just praying my heart out. I know I don’t deserve this, I made so many mistakes in my life, but I’m just so fortunate and blessed.”
But even after he finally got to celebrate, to shower and then take part in the special photo-op for champions, the usually refined head coach still had that extra-pep in his step, obviously still in a high that only winning a championship that hard would give.
Four months ago, the thought of La Salle winning a championship wasn't that far-fetched.
The word ‘hard’ though, is a different story
Coming into the season, the Green Archers looked the hands down favorite to win it all as transferees in NCAA champion Jacob Cortez, super-scorer Kean Baclaan, Gilas Pilipinas member Mason Amos and five-star recruit Luis Pablo were now eligible to play alongside the brilliant Mike Phillips, and a handful of steady role players in the likes of Earl Abadam, Vhoris Marasigan and EJ Gollena among others.
It was such a loaded line-up that even then, coach Robinson knew that the pressure was on them to deliver prior to the season.
“We know that the only team that can beat La Salle is La Salle itself,” Robinson told Spin.ph in one of La Salle’s practices prior to UAAP Season 88.
But when La Salle opened the season with a 60-58 win over Adamson that came oh-too close for comfort, things started to shift.
That close win started a shaky opener for La Salle as what followed was an up-and-down run for the title-seeking Green Archers – a convincing loss to UST, a close win over a young FEU side and a loss to Ateneo where it needed to storm back from a 30 point deficit to make things interesting down the stretch.
Then the injuries happened. Amos would tear his MCL in the next game against National University in a loss that would send them to 2-3, before Baclaan suffered the same injury a game later in the win over the UE Red Warriors.
All of a sudden, this dream season looked lost.
“Wala. Never namin na-imagine,” Robinson told Spin.ph if he ever expected to lift the UAAP title after everything that they went through.
“Even making to the final four, talagang di namin maimagine. I guess what kept us going is nasubukan talaga yung pagsasama namin. Kami nalang, nagpunta kami sa Indang sa farm ni boss Raffy [Villavicencio], talagang doon na-build yung relationship kumbaga, nasubukan and everything just kept falling into places for us,” he continued.
“But nobody, even sa amin, sa sarili ko na aabot kami sa final four.”
READ: Vhoris Marasigan gets redemption after heroic Game 3 bounce back
From looking like legitimate title contenders prior to the season, the Green Archers weren’t even sure of making it to the final four with two games remaining in the season, as the very team which made them sweat to start off the tournament in the Adamson Falcons dealt them a stinging 61-60 loss, dropping them to 6-6 entering the tail end of the season.
But this team stuck together. Be it through sheer bad luck in the injuries of Amos and Baclaan, or bad decisions when talking about the suspensions of Gollena and Mararisgan, they were already in a hole that they had to claw back from.
They had no other choice. How they were going to respond was going to be critical – and this, according to Robinson, is what makes this run so special.
“Andaming nangyari down the line. Nung wala na kaming makapitan, naghanap kami ng kakapitan at sasandalan, dun nabuo ang faith namin,” Robinson shared.
“Si Earl [Abadam] and Mike [Phillips] always talk about God. Not until malagay ka talaga sa alanganin, wala ka nang makapitan, yun nalang talaga ang sasandalan mo. Yun yung nangyari samin this season,” he continued.
“Mas lalo kaming naging close sa isa’t isa. Na-test talaga yung tiwala e. Sabi ko nga, nung nagtatalo kami, san man kayo pupunta, I’ll go with you. Kumbaga, kung saan, kahit saan. Sasama ako sa inyo. Dito niyo ko masusubukan.”
READ: Captain Phillips leads La Salle in faith, service, communion
When nothing else was going for them, it was faith that kept them afloat. Faith in God and what’s in store for them and faith in each other that they were going to keep winning to make sure that Amos and Baclaan’s season weren’t going to end with them being helped off the floor.
"Doon nagkaron talaga ng tiwala yung team sa bawat isa, kasi yung mga leaders namin really showed up," he shared.
"Yun ang gusto namin e para umabot yung dalawa. Kasi nga, they gave up their careers from other schools para lang dito, hindi talaga namin pwedeng ibigay nalang ng ganun kabilis."
But then fate also played a role in that run as the Green Archers would get a few extra days for Amos and Baclaan to heal up given the game postponements due to inclement weather.
All of a sudden, things were looking up for Robinson and the Green Archers.
“In a way may nahanap na paraan e. Who would’ve thought macacancel yung Ateneo La Salle game because of the typhoon na namove ng one week and then umabot si Mason?” he said.
“Who would’ve thought maeextend ng kaunti yung [semis] because of the CDC, so umabot si Kean. Doon mo maano na this championship was really destined.”
So when they were preparing for the semifinals, with their backs against the wall and virtually no room for errors against an NU Bulldogs side who looked so impressive in the tournament, the doubt that clouded Robinson's mind for the entire tournament was now clear.
They’ve already weathered the storm – now everything was in their hands once more.
READ: Baclaan risked a lot in his return. He was rewarded with a title
“I guess nung final four practices, doon lang kami nakumpleto. Sabi nga namin, oo nga may Mason tayo, oo nga may Kean tayo, talagang doon lang na-kumpleto yung practices namin. Kasi all this time wala yung dalawa,” he said.
“Dun ako na-excite ulit. I never thought they’ll make it kasi especially si Kean kasi mas-severe yung injury ni Kean e. Talagang never ko na-imagine na makakapag-practice kami na kumpleto.”
Four wins later, Robinson can now call himself a two-time UAAP champion coach — but not after a season of doubts, anxiety and challenges.
It came far too close for comfort. At times it looked improbable, but that only makes this title all the more sweeter for Robinson.
As a coach who’s handled ultra-talented players in his coaching career from the likes of Calvin Abueva, CJ Perez and Kevin Quiambao – one would feel that Robinson seeing special things isn’t that special anymore for him.
And this is where he feels truly blessed – cause this time, he’s seeing one big special team. A team that was tested, counted off, rolled with the punches and got the job done in the end.
“This is super special,” Robinson said.
“I’ve been in basketball for 20 years now, but I’ve never been a part of this special team. The journey to make it here, that really makes it special.
And at the end of the day, Robinson was right. The only team that could truly derail this season for La Salle, was La Salle itself.
But it wasn't because of sheer talent, depth and star-power alone, no. It was with how they rose above when all of that was stripped away.
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