Kevin Quiambao's juggling of La Salle, Gilas duties inspires Mike Phillips

From one La Salle Green Archer to another, Mike Phillips is just one proud teammate to Kevin Quiambao. 

UAAP reigning Most Valuable Player Quiambao is included in the Gilas Pilipinas' 15-man pool for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers' second window.

“I’m just so supportive of him. I’m so happy because I know how hard he works and how much this means to him," DLSU team captain Phillips said.

[ALSO READ: La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao hopes to share Gilas Pilipinas stories to first-born son in the future]

It was just last year when Phillips suited up for the national team as part of the gold-medal winning squad that ruled the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

Fast forward to 2024, it was Quiambao who did not hesitate to heed the call of duty anew for a Gilas squad facing New Zealand on Thursday, Nov. 21, and Hong Kong on Sunday, Nov. 24, in the latest window of the tourney.  

That is despite the Green Archers’ ongoing campaign in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, where they secured the No.1 seed entering the Final Four.

Juggling both collegiate and national team commitments is not an easy task, but Quiambao’s dedication to do so inspired Philips to also do his best with his task with La Salle. 

“Him [KQ] really trying to balance everything is really an inspiration to me. It really feels to me to do my best on what I can do with La Salle,” the 6-foot-8 senior added.

“Him just being in Gilas, being in La Salle, being in all these different milestones, it’s really a testament of how much an inspiration he is to us.”  

While both of them are yet to suit up for the national squad at the same time, Phillips was all praise for Quiambao's passion and hard work both for La Salle and Gilas.

“I wasn’t able to play with KQ [Kevin Quiambao] at the time, but I always see how KQ works… [on] how much he has a passion not only for La Salle but for the Philippines.” 

(With reports from Aivan Episcope/One Sports)