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MANILA, Philippines – Even before the start of his collegiate rookie season, La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao had always been seen as a future centerpiece not only for the Green Archers program, but Philippine basketball as a whole.
Fast forward to the present, the same has held true so far on all fronts, as the 6-foot-7 unicorn of a player continues to dazzle crowds night in and night out wherever he suits up, including the PBA D-League.
To honor Quiambao for his sustained offensive wizardry and improving defensive instincts, the PBA awarded him the 2023 Aspirants’ Cup MVP, and the Gilas Pilipinas forward immediately proved he was the right choice by leading EcoOil-La Salle to a two-game finals sweep of Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda.
For Quiambao, the Archers’ main driving force in multiple concurrent preseason leagues, all these noteworthy performances and awards are exactly the motivational pieces he needs ahead of the upcoming UAAP Season 86, where La Salle is once again tipped as one of the early title contenders.
“I’m really happy [with the finals win], but this is just a step towards our goal in the UAAP,” Quiambao said in Filipino. “I really wanted to finish this tournament in Game 2 so that we can shift our focus towards our main goal.”
Indeed, La Salle’s so-called “point center” looked like a man on a deadline in the title-clinching, 89-76 rout of gutsy San Beda, as he dominated his way to a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double with 2 assists and a steal.
The Red Lions, who had a handful of scrappy bigs to throw around like Clifford Jopia and Damie Cuntapay, were ultimately unable to fully contain the silky-smooth game of Quiambao, as he also had plenty of backup in the form of Bright Nwankwo, Raven Cortez, and the Phillips brothers Mike and Ben.
Collectively, La Salle showed glimpses of true potential when fielding a fully healthy, in-sync roster, which is all Quiambao really wants ahead of the new UAAP season.
“My mindset is to always trust the system. My game comes from the system of coach Topex (Robinson), coach Gian (Nazario), and everyone else on the team,” he said.
The Archers have not returned to the UAAP finals in nearly six years despite multiple chances to break through. This year, with a confident Quiambao at the helm, things may just change for the better for the green and white. – with a report from Kayla Afable/Rappler.com
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