La Salle coach Topex Robinson –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
A number of the vile that was thrown his approach after a controversial first assembly within the UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball match resurfaced within the rematch between defending champion La Salle and College of the Philippines (UP).
Part of Topex Robinson relished it.
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“I’ve been with coach Yeng [Guiao] for probably the most a part of my profession. I understand how it feels to be hated,” Robinson, who performed for the mercurial mentor in his stint with Pink Bull within the PBA, instructed the Inquirer late Sunday night.
“I at all times remind myself of what he stated that if there have been no Paquito Diaz, there wouldn’t be an FPJ,” he added, referring to the late legendary actor Fernando Poe Jr., whose motion movies at all times included perennial foil Diaz.
“After I was in Pink Bull, [being the villain] was our function so [the animosity] doesn’t actually hassle me; I actually take pleasure in it.”
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In addition to, Robinson stated, “[A]t the tip of the day, it is a basketball recreation and video games are received by those that rating probably the most factors.”
And within the second assembly between the 2 finalists final season, it was the Archers who up probably the most factors, their 77-66 victory over the Maroons in entrance of 13,820 animated souls at Sensible Araneta Coliseum finishing a season sweep of UP.
A lot as he embraced the villain function, nonetheless, Robinson refused to be distracted by the surface noise main into the extremely anticipated matchup, one created by La Salle’s 68-56 victory over UP within the first spherical that featured allegations of spitting that almost emptied each benches.
“I simply approached it as how I method each recreation—that I’m simply gonna deal with easy methods to educate my gamers [to play the right way] after which make it possible for we’re on the identical web page,” Robinson stated.
And the gamers responded.
Kevin Quiambao, Mike Phillips and Joshua David joined fingers in forging the repeat victory, sustaining La Salle’s psychological edge over UP whereas nailing the No. 1 spot heading into the playoffs with an unreachable 12-1 (win-loss) document.
The Maroons, now 9-3, will accept helpful crumbs: Because the No. 2 group, they are going to have the opposite win-once benefit in opposition to whoever finally ends up the No. 3 group.
Killing the noise
Quiambao collected 15 factors to bounce again from an uncharacteristic outing in opposition to Far Jap College the place he solely related on two photographs. Vitality man Phillips had a double-double of 14 factors and 10 rebounds whereas David chipped in 12 factors and 7 rebounds.
These are the performances Robinson desires highlighted, and why he opted to kill no matter noise generated by the primary assembly between the 2 colleges.
“[I only did] what I used to be alleged to do and led these guys and I can’t shortchange them by being egocentric,” Robinson stated. “I apologized to them as a result of throughout the first spherical I felt so unhealthy as a result of [the controversy] took away the credit score from the gamers who actually performed properly in that recreation. So [this time] I stated issues can’t be about me once more. I don’t wanna be egocentric.”
La Salle is left with a final task in also-ran Nationwide College, a nonbearing recreation on Wednesday at College of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion. The idle Archers await who they are going to face within the playoffs with the No. 4 spot, which the Growling Tigers are at the moment sitting on, nonetheless to be determined.
Nonetheless chasing a coveted Last 4 spot are Adamson and the Tamaraws with College of the East’s maintain on No. 3 nonetheless precarious as properly.
“[Prevailing against UP again] doesn’t actually have an effect on us that a lot that we fear an excessive amount of about these issues,” Robinson stated. “After I was with [Lyceum as head coach], I’d been No. 1 numerous occasions [and ended up not winning the title] so I do know the sensation. I’ve the expertise of not ending sturdy in order that’s at all times the reminder for me.” INQ
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