Presumptive MVP Quiambao disappointed with personal Game 1 performance for La Salle
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao promises to unleash his might and prove his mettle as the rightful Most Valuable Player as La Salle fights to stay alive on his coronation day.
The soon-to-be UAAP Season 86 MVP said people can count an entirely different Quiambao in Game 2 compared to a forgettable outing in Game 1 when the Green Archers were decimated by the in-form University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 97-67.
It’s the most lopsided Game 1 in the UAAP Final Four era as Quiambao admitted being disappointed with his performance in La Salle’s deflating 30-point defeat in their first-ever UAAP finale date with UP.
“After the game, syempre sobrang nadismaya ako lalo na sa pinakita ko,” said Quiambao who finished with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. “Na-disappoint talaga ako sa pinakita ko so this coming Game 2, expect niyo na ibang Kevin Quiambao yung lalaro.”
He shot only 4-of-10 from the field in 31 minutes of play and had a -22 efficiency as the triple-double threat forward struggled against a bevy of defenders thrown at him by the Maroons led by his former National U high school teammate Reyland Torres.
“For me, nagulat ako sa different looks na binigay nila and 'di ako nakapag adjust kaagad and it’s my fault rin syempre kasi isa ako sa mga leader ng team. Kailangan ko lang mag adjust and kailangan ko lang mag-move on sa larong 'to,” added Quiambao.
Quiambao averaged 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals in almost 30 minutes of play in 14 games to win MVP with 97. 0 statistical points. He led second-place Rey Remogat (85.9) by over 11 SPs for a runaway fashion.
He’s set to be awarded tomorrow as the first local MVP since Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena in 2014 and 2015 and the first local Green Archer since Don Allado’s back-to-back feat in 1998 and 1999
The last Green Archer to win MVP was Ben Mbala in 2016, which also happened to be La Salle’s last UAAP championship.
Just two days before La Salle’s finals stint, the four-peat champion teams of the Green Archers in 1998 to 2001 and in 2016 were feted in the ring ceremony at the school campus with the current team also gracing the event.
It’s now on Quiambao and the crew of coach Topex Robinson to turn that as a motivation as the Green Archers eye payback in Game 2 to force a winner-take-all duel.
“Ang mindset lang is yung lagi kong sinasabi na one game at a time. Focus muna kami sa Game Two, kailangan i-improve ‘yung pwede namin i-improve and then i-cover up ‘yung mga pagkakamali namin,” vowed Quiambao.
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