–Marlo Cueto/INQUIRER.net
Not all breakups are the same. The same goes for gratitude.
Kevin Quiambao and JD Cagulangan bid farewell to the team after a fierce title battle in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
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The two standout players, both so popular that they are known by their two-letter nicknames, also expressed their gratitude to the program that has elevated them into the pantheon of national team icons.
But only one of them put the crown on his head and left.
Just 24 hours after a bruising finals series, a well-rested Kiambao announced on social media that he played his final game in a La Salle uniform.
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“Thank you for three amazing seasons, so much sweat, tears and sacrifice,” the two-time MVP wrote in a post shared on Monday. “Coach Topex” [Robinson] And Coach Migs Aitona, I love you and thank you for unlocking and unleashing KQ. ”
“Thank you for believing in me and pushing me to reach my potential. I am so thankful and blessed to have you all. With that said, my college career is coming to an end. I will begin my journey by pursuing my NBA dream and playing professional baseball for the Koyoen Sky Gunners. [in the Korean Basketball League] And I will continue to develop my game,” said Quiambao.
Quiambao was asked about his future plans after the decisive third game, won 66-62 by the University of the Philippines to regain the men’s title, late Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
He didn’t take a stand and ignored reports of a move to South Korea.
“I will rest for now. I think I need to rest until December. I don’t know what will happen next, but I just need to rest first,” Quiambao told reporters. “I don’t want to think about it yet. I’ve been playing basketball non-stop for eight months, so I just want to rest.”
It took him less than a day to recover enough to make a decision.
critical triple
Cagurangan also bid farewell to UP, where he will forever be entrenched in the school’s basketball tradition.
“I can’t say anything but thank you,” Finals MVP Cagulangan said as he put on his maroon jersey one last time. “I’m very happy to be a part of this program. They welcomed me well and UP deserved to win this season.”
Cagurangan leaves the Diliman program with two titles, the first of which he won with a dramatic step-back and game-clinching triple against Ateneo in Season 84.
He will be out as champion, but this time he has Francis Lopez to thank. The athletic forward missed a free throw that could have changed the outcome of Game 2 and sealed the Maroons’ early return to the championship. However, he made a big comeback with a decisive game-winning triple, greatly hurting the Archers’ chances of repeating the game.
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“I’m happy for Frances.” [Lopez] by the way. I’m so proud of how he overcame what happened to him,” Kagurangan said.
“They still believed in me. Even after that loss, we were able to talk to each other, and it was a really surreal moment. They still believed in me. I’m really happy that even though I lost, they were still there for me. I was able to overcome it this time, so I’m really happy,” Lopez said.
While Mr. Cagulangan was happy to give praise to those who deserved it, Mr. Quiambao will be relocating from Taft Street with a huge responsibility for La Salle’s defeat packed into his suitcase.
“Win or lose, it’s my fault. This is all my fault. Kiambao, who saved La Salle’s team in Game 2, shot 11%, including 16.7% from behind the 3-point line. He finished with 13 points and only 4 rebounds on 4-for-1 shooting.
Victories for Cagulangan and the Maroons marked a reversal of the trends that have plagued the team since UP won their first title in 33 years.
UP always had the advantage in the best-of-three series, but lost the second game and ultimately clinched the crown in the third game.
The script was rewritten this time due to director Goldwyn Monteverde’s accusations.
“Of course we’re both happy [the Season 84 and 87 championships]” Monteverde said.
“Especially in Season 84, we played with a lot of different players like Rich.” [Rivero]C.J. [Cansino] and we [enjoyed] We’re all so happy to have that time and to have this group for this championship,” he added, before the rest of the Maroons team celebrated in the Big Dome press room and looked at each other. We poured water and opened the champagne.
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“It’s really great to be able to finish the season with such a good result.” [championship]. Very few people can say they finished the season with a win and that’s something I always look back on. [with a] Smile,” Quentin Milola-Brown, who was scouted for his presence in the paint, said after his only stint with the Maroons. INQ
