The MVP frontrunner has spoken.
To say that the De La Salle Green Archers lost badly in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball finals against the UP Fighting Maroons is an understatement.
League statistician Pong Ducanes perfectly encapsulated the gravity of that game, which UP won, 97-67, on Wednesday.
"Even if you remove UP's first quarter score in tonight’s game from its total score, UP would’ve still won the game, 69-67," he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Only Mike Phillips and Kevin Quiambao scored in double digits for La Salle. KQ had 11 points on four out of 10 field goals, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
He was a -22 in 31:44 minutes of action, as the Fighting Maroons' defense choked the Green Archers.
But Quiambao, the only player to have registered two triple-doubles in Green Archers history, shows why he's the frontrunner for the MVP plum on and off the court.
He shared a Bible quote on Instagram Story after the loss.
"Romans 5:3-5—Our pain has a purpose," he posted. "Keep the faith!"
Quiambao has placed plenty of importance on sacrifice, sharing a motivational quote before Game 1.
It's a tough loss to absorb for La Salle, as the 30-point margin is the biggest in the UAAP finals during the Final Four era, according to Ducanes. Ironically, the previous high was 25 points posted by DLSU against the FEU Tamaraws in 1998, he noted.
Ducanes noted that the last time UP won in double digits during the finals was waaaay back in 1986 against the UE Red Warriors, 86-75.
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La Salle will have the chance to force a decider this Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, and of course, expect Quiambao to have a bounce-back outing.
(PM)