Mike Phillips of the La Salle Green Archers during a game in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament. –Marlo Cueto/INQUIRER.net
After suffering its first loss in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament, La Salle turned to the rules for comfort and thereby found a way back to winning.
After the Green Archers won 68-62 in foul play to improve their record to 4-1, head coach Topex Robinson told the Inquirer, “No matter what happened in the last game, we’ll be in the next game.” There’s a 24-hour rule to move forward,” he told the Inquirer. Eastern University (FEU) on Wednesday.
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La Salle’s previously undefeated streak was abruptly halted by Eastern University (UE) 75-71 on Sunday, with the defending champion clearly embarrassed by the underdogs.
However, the first loss did not have any further impact on the Archers, even though the Tamaraws pushed them to their limits once again.
Robinson said in another interview, “When you get so used to winning, you feel like you’re guilty when you lose.” “But I think the effect it had on us as a team was it grounded us. This season is going to be even tougher, just like what happened today (Wednesday) at FEU. It reminded us that it will happen.”
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“If it doesn’t kill us, it will make us stronger. That’s really the story of this season,” he added.
Main pitcher Mike Phillips and father Kevin Quiambao, who just had a son with his girlfriend the night before La Salle’s game against the Tams, certainly showed strength in their respective double-double appearances.
The Archers’ one-two punch
Phillips put the nail in the coffin against FEU with 13 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks, and the reigning MVP came close to hitting a triple with 12 points and 11 rebounds despite being sleep deprived before the game. Double with 8 assists.
Quiambao, La Salle’s reliable player, unusually missed two crucial free throws that could have helped his team come from behind to win against UE. But no finger will be laid against La Salle’s cornerstone.
“We’re not going to put him out there because nobody wants to miss free throws. I’m going to be responsible for that and it’s just a new experience for us,” Robinson said.
“I don’t want to take away the fun of what we’re doing now because 30 years from now we’ll be laughing about that and saying, ‘Oh, I was so nervous.’ It’s not going to happen, so I’m going to enjoy it.”
La Salle is making no excuses for the UE loss, and Robinson taught the Archers something that may help them reach their ultimate goal down the road.
“As much as I would find reasons or excuses, I told myself that UE did a great job.” [and] I can’t dwell on it any more. So we put points on it and said UE did a great job, FEU found something from that UE game that could be used against us… [focus]” Robinson said.
“[The Warriors] They really did their job and we don’t see it as an upset at all, UE just gave us something to help us. It took a little bit of the pressure off not to lose,” the second-year coach added.
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“Obviously you always play to win and I think that’s really nice.” [the loss] For us, this event happened sooner or later. Because that’s what ingrained us…and experience is always the best teacher, so obviously it’s a hard pill to swallow, but this is how they, us coaches, react. It’s just a test. ”
