Quiambao sweetened his MVP coronation in Game 2 of Finals
AS IF there are still any doubts on his stature as the country’s best collegiate player today, Kevin Quiambao of reigning champion De La Salle University (DLSU) quashed all of those and with a performance for the books in Game 2 of the heated UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals. Mr. Quiambao reminded everyone of […]
Tomas Kauer 
AS IF there are still any doubts on his stature as the country’s best collegiate player today, Kevin Quiambao of reigning champion De La Salle University (DLSU) quashed all of those and with a performance for the books in Game 2 of the heated UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals.
Mr. Quiambao reminded everyone of his prowess, firing 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Green Archers lived to fight another day and forced a winner-take-all Game 3 with a stellar 76-75 come-from-behind triumph witnessed by more than 17,000 fans at the MOA Arena.
It was a sweet redemption for Mr. Quiambao, who bled for just a lone point without a field goal made in the second half of La Salle’s 73-65 loss in Game 1 after rifling in 18 points in the first half.
His biggest basket was a contested triple atop of the key in front of Game 1 hero for University of the Philippines (UP) Quentin Millora-Brown to give La Salle its first lead in the second half, 74-73, after trailing as big as 66-73 in the final minutes.
“It’s all about mental toughness,” said Mr. Quiambao, admitting sleepless nights on the heels of a tough Game 1 defeat after controlling majority of the match.
Mr. Quiambao did — and in more ways than one as his timely eruption sweetened his coronation as the back-to-back Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the country’s premier league.
The Gilas Pilipinas forward was only the fifth Green Archer to win consecutive MVPs and 12th overall in UAAP history behind norms of 16.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1 block for 81.357 SPs.
In the finals, Mr. Quiambao is averaging 20.5 points, 10 rebounds and 1.5 assists and he has more to give when the Green Archers aim for their second straight crown on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University’s Kacey dela Rosa captured her second straight women’s MVP award as University of Santo Tomas’ Kent Pastrana, Louna Ozar of UP, Sarah Makanjuola of Ateneo, and National University’s Angel Surada completed the Mythical Five.
Joining Mr. Quiambao in the men’s side were his teammate Mr. Phillips, UP’s JD Cagulangan, Far Eastern University’s Mo Konateh and Nic Cabañero of bronze medalist Santo Tomas. — John Bryan Ulanday
