A tough win over FEU proves that the Green Archers have what it takes to win without big numbers from reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao.
“KQ is one of us, but he’s not the whole of us,”
That’s the quote that encompasses La Salle head coach Topex Robinson’s take after the DLSU Green Archers eked out a win against the FEU Tamaraws, 58-53, during a rare off night from reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao on Wednesday, November 6.
Coming off of a lengthy break, Quiambao came out cold against an upset-seeking FEU squad, and a 2-of-17 shooting clip saw him riding the bench for most of the nip-and-tuck affair fourth quarter.
[RELATED: UAAP: Mike Phillips, DLSU upend gutsy FEU to extend win streak to eight]
But for Robinson, it wasn’t a problem to see his star player struggle because after all, Quiambao isn’t perfect.
With 14 other players on La Salle’s roster ready to step up, the UAAP champion coach said that he had the utmost trust in all of his players.
“Everybody knows on this team their particular roles. Yun nga yung sinabi ni Doi [Dungo] kanina, na even if he’s a rookie, he knows that he has a certain responsibility here,” said Robinson, who commended Dungo for his eight points in the victory, La Salle's eighth straight this season.
“There are a few times in those plays where Mike [Phillips] was trying to yell at him to take the shot, obviously, being a rookie, you don’t want to take those big time shots but if we have guys like Mike, like KQ, sometimes they’re gonna be struggling you have to share that limelight or that opportunity to these young guys.”
Robinson drove the point home as well that in collegiate teams, you only get your players for a certain period of their careers. With veterans like Quiambao and Phillips already waning in their experience in La Salle, it’s pertinent to give the young guns a share of the ball.
“You know, they’re gonna be the future of our program and it’s just nice to have these kuyas just trying to encourage them as well. I think isa yun sa bagay na we really love about our team. I have to repeat, KQ is one of us but he's not the whole of us,” said Robinson.
“There'll be times that KQ will have those games and this guy (MP) will take over on those lapses but it's just nice to have [other] guys stepping up. You know, guys really ready to take the challenge. Even Josh [David], as much as he was really challenged out his outside shooting but he was so resilient and he just did not give up and I just love to see them really grinding out with those teams and it's just really fun for us,” he added.
Regardless of how the other players can step up, though, La Salle will be hard-pressed to have Quiambao back in from to supplement the other players’ contributions.
At 11-1, La Salle will gun for the 1-seed when defending champs face rivals UP Fighting Maroons in their second round clash on Sunday, November 10, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.