Déjà vu for Deschon

La Salle recruit Deschon Winston erupted for 33 points on 14 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 5 triples and 2 of 2 free throws in 24:50 minutes as the Green Archers trounced Season 83 finalist UST, 112-83, in the UAAP second elimination round at the MOA Arena last Tuesday. It was the most points scored by a team in the league in five years and La Salle was the unlikely enabler considering coach Derick Pumaren has preached defense more than offense since the tournament began.

Winston, 23, said playing in the zone was reminiscent of his 43 point explosion in leading Birmingham High School to a 110-105 win over Northridge Heritage Christian in Redondo Beach, California, in 2017. He shot 17 of 22 from the field, including 5 of 7 triples and made seven straight shots in a rousing start. Winston could’ve gone for more against UST but Pumaren sat him down the entire fourth quarter to give others a chance to play.

Winston, who’s playing the first of two years with La Salle, said he’s embraced the animo spirit. “In the US NCAA, there are over 200 schools but in the UAAP, it’s just eight schools so you really feel the passion of the fans,” he said. “Because the US NCAA is so big, you don’t really know the players but in the UAAP, you know them all. I’m adapting to the Filipino style of game. It’s more physical and guys bump you without getting a call. I’m even learning there’s a Pinoy step like the Euro step.”

Living in a bubble is something Winston isn’t averse to. His father Laurian Watkins, who’s in town, said he’ll thrive in a closed campus environment where there’s a weight room, a gym to play hoops in, books to study, internet and healthy food. Watkins took Winston in as a 10-year-old protégé at his skills academy in Los Angeles and groomed him to be a D-1 player at the University of California at Berkeley then Central Michigan University. Winston’s mother Carla Ruby Rose, a fashion designer, is from Olongapo and migrated to the US when she was seven. Before flying in to play for La Salle, Winston visited the country once as a boy with his mother. His father was an import agent who brought over Sean Higgins, Joe Hooks and Galen Robinson to the PBA and worked with then Pop Cola coach Norman Black and team manager Elmer Yanga in the 1990s. He was on coach Bai Cristobal’s staff with the Philippine women’s team in the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

“I try to stay strong and be flexible, playing one, two or three, depending on where the coach thinks I can be most effective,” said Winston. “One thing I need to work on is consistency. I think the best three-point shooter in the UAAP is RJ Abarrientos. We’ve got a lot of talent and weapons at La Salle and I know we’ll go far. We’re improving in our execution. We’re learning from our mistakes, we’re focusing on defense, we’re pressing and we’re playing together.”