La Salle Green Archers star Kevin Quiambao during the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against the UST Growling Tigers. –Marlo Cueto/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Kevin Quiambao credits his teammates’ support for breaking his career high as La Salle found a way to shatter the University of Santo Tomas’ valiant stand in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament I thought about it.
With the defending champions pushed to their limits, Quiambao posted career highs with 29 points, nine rebounds and three assists on 4-of-6 3-point shooting.
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But instead of basking in the glory of his latest accomplishment, the reigning MVP, whose main motivation is his new baby, has chosen to focus on La Salle’s hard-won fifth consecutive title.
Read: Topex speaks to new father Kevin Quiambao: ‘Be a responsible father and partner’
“My motivation comes from seeing my teammates happy and that drives me to do my best on every possession. The credit goes to them because we couldn’t have done it without their support,” Quiambao told reporters after the 94-87 win.
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“Winning was more important than achieving a personal best, and more important than losing. I always think that I have to win for the team, and personal achievements will come later. “We are grateful for that, but we remain focused on the bigger picture,” he added.
Attention: “buhay ay di career high” for Kevin Quiambao. #UAAPS Season 87 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/otiUPvjLNz
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) October 16, 2024
The Gilas Pilipinas forward struggled with 10 points against University of the East last Saturday, but had a chance to bounce back.
Kevin Quiambao and the La Salle Green Archers at the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament. –Marlo Cueto/INQUIRER.net
“After the bad game against UE, I practiced hard again. I got healthy, my nervous system recovered, and I got back in shape,” Quiambao said.
Quiambao’s career best was nearly thwarted by a Growling Tigers team looking for a win. The Green Archers allowed 26 turnovers and blew a 20-point lead, leaving UST with a huge chance of forcing overtime.
But heeding coach Topex Robinson’s call, La Salle quickly poised and took control in the extra five minutes, breathing life back into the air for UST.
Read: UAAP: Quiambao says La Salle’s culture plays a big role in early success
“As a leader, when I make a mistake, I just own up to it and say, ‘It’s my fault, let’s move on to the next play.'” Don’t force things. We should just wait for the game to come,” said Quiambao.
“When the opponent is running away, we tend to get our way, so we have to stick to the system and not get distracted.As veterans, we have to keep fighting and cherish every possession. “We just told each other to do what we were asked to do,” he said.
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As the race for the Final Four heats up, Quiambao and the Green Archer, who have an 8-1 record, are eager to take the lessons learned from this close race.
“Let’s not let anything break our momentum. This is a learning curve for us and there’s still a lot of things we can improve on. We won’t be overconfident in this game and give it our all from the first quarter to the fourth.” “He taught me how to play.”
