THE La Salle Green Archers are now looking forward at the prospect of redeeming themselves after losing the crown to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the recent 87th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.
With big man Kevin Quiambao gone, there will be new players expected to carry the torch for the Archers next season.
For now, reflecting on what transpired during their best-of-three finals series is on La Salle coach Topex Robinson’s mind.
“It was an epic game. It went down to the last few possessions again,” said Robinson, hours after the Fighting Maroons took the UAAP Season 87 cage crown by dethroning the De La Salle University Green Archers, 66-62, in Game 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.
In that game, season MVP Quiambao scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in limited minutes in the fourth.
Quiambao got benched at the 5:13 mark of the fourth period and when he returned with less than two minutes remaining, La Salle could not close the gap.
“If you’re gonna look at the stats – there’s gonna be the turnovers, the missed free throws, the missed threes – this is what the championship is all about, those breaks that would favor any team. I thanked the guys. As painful as this is, we will learn from this,” said Robinson.
The Fighting Maroons took the momentum in Game 1, 73-65, before the Green Archers fought back in Game 2, 76-75.
In Game 3, Francis Lopez, who bungled four key free throws in Game 2, redeemed himself by handing UP a four-point edge, with a three-pointer at the 1:12 mark, for a 64-60 edge.
After much reflection, Robinson seeks to rebuild the Green Archers for their next journey in Season 88.
Four players, who were taken in during the off-season are expected to show what they can do—Kean Baclaan, Jacob Cortez, Luis Pablo and Mason Amos.
“The next two weeks will be a preparation for Season 88 for us and we’re excited about it. Sabi ko nga, as long as we know in our heart of hearts that we give our best, we have nothing to be ashamed of. We played it until the final buzzer, we did it as a true La Sallian should do it. We just kept on fighting,” added Robinson.
