KQ TOTALLY FOCUSED ON LA SALLE REPEAT AMID SPECULATIONS ON FUTURE

KEVIN Quiambao knows that there’s a lot of speculation on what he plans to do next.

But he stressed that his main attention is on Taft as he wants to be a back-to-back champion with La Salle and not on his future  – at least, not yet.

"Yung goal namin is makapag-champion ulit," he said.

Winning a championship is a position that he’s always wanted, one he accomplished when he led the Green Archers to the crown last season.

Now, the reigning Season and Finals MVP gets a chance to do it all over again as La Salle opens its repeat bid in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Quiambao, the undisputed best collegiate player in the land, understands that the climb back to the top will be doubly harder this time.

Lucky for the green side, he has been playing this scenario on his mind ever since the Green Archers hoisted the Season 86 trophy back in December.

"Alam ko mas mahirap this year. As soon na nag-champion kami, inisip ko na by next season, mag-iiba na yung storya," the Muntinlupa native said.

Quiambao is correct on that one. It’s hard to win the crown but it’s harder to go back-to-back.

PHOTO: UAAP Season 86 Media Team

But like coach Topex Robinson has reiterated throughout their journey, it’s for them to control what they can control despite the different circumstances this year.

"Ang iniisip ko lang lagi is to focus on us, be our brothers’ keepers. Kailangan i-maintain namin yung hunger namin," he said. 

"Gagawin namin yung best namin every game, every practice kasi dapat kailangan may natututunan kami."

La Salle begins this new journey against National University at 6:30 p.m., the main event of a heavy triple-header to cap off the opening weekend.

Kyle Paranada, now with University of Santo Tomas, will meet his old alma mater University of the East at 1 p.m., while Adamson and Far Eastern University begin their quests at 3 p.m.

2024-09-07T14:15:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd