MANILA, Philippines – For the La Salle Green Archers, it will be championship or nothing this upcoming UAAP Season 86.
New La Salle head coach Topex Robinson said Wednesday that with an intact core, the team will be aiming to compete for no less than the crown.
Asked if the upcoming season will be championship or bust, Robinson did not mince words.
“Yes. I don’t want to pretend that we are aiming for the Final Four. It doesn’t work that way here. So it’s part of the challenge and opportunity to coach a successful program like La Salle,” Robinson told reporters.
La Salle missed the semifinals last season after ending the elimination round with a 7-7 win-loss record, getting ousted by Adamson in the playoff for the fourth seed.
“Just like what [the managers] said, there’s always two people in this world. Winners and losers. No in between. You always have to try to be the best, since nobody wants to associate themselves with losers,” Robinson said.
“It’s a responsibility that we have to take as a staff and we’re just fortunate that [there are people] here that are winners so it’s a matter of us working together and guiding this team in the finals.”
For Season 86, La Salle will have its core of Evan Nelle, Mark and Ben Phillips, Kevin Quiambao, Joaquin Manuel and Mark Nonoy.
“I just had a meeting with our main… one of our managers. He just mentioned that it’s all about winning a championship,” the head coach bared.
“With this color, it requires a lot of responsibility. And we always wanna make sure we prepare this team to always be at its best in every opportunity that we can. Making sure that we make our colors proud.”
Robinson, who earlier coached the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters in the PBA, replaced Derrick Pumaren in the offseason.
He also earlier mentored San Sebastian and Lyceum in the NCAA.