Quiambao’s selfless game sparks La Salle past Ateneo

Kevin Quiambao knows that there’s a huge target on his back every time he plays for De La Salle University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

But he is willing to counter it by getting his teammates more involved.

The versatile 6-foot-6 forward said being the focal point of the opposing team’s defense is nothing new so he is working hard to improve his passing and leadership inside the court.

In their previous game, for instance, Ateneo de Manila University tried to suffocate him with a box-and-one defense in a bid to stop the engine that keeps the Green Archers running.

The Blue Eagles’ mission failed as Quiambao made an impressive job moving the ball that led to a convincing 74-61 victory for their third straight win in the men’s basketball tournament of Season 87 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.

Quiambao flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists as he kept the Ateneo defense guessing from start to finish.

“They threw a box-and-one defense at me the entire game,” said Quiambao, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player.

“So, I told my teammates to be ready because there will be moments that they will be free. They should have the confidence to take the shot and just be disciplined.”

Quiambao’s impressive performance caught the fancy of Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin, who compared him to the country’s brightest young stars like Carl Tamayo, Thirdy Ravena and Justine Baltazar.

Baldwin, who used to coach Quiambao at Gilas Pilipinas in various international competitions, said more than Quiambao’s outside shooting, rebounding and ability to attack the basket, it was his ability to read the game and leadership that make him an elite player.

“Kevin’s just really a good player. He’s elite in terms of UAAP standards from what I’ve seen over my eight years here,” the Kiwi-American mentor said.

“But as you’re alluding to, he doesn’t just score. He reads the game well, he passes the ball well, and he’s the leader of the team. We’ve already seen it often this year that at crunch time, he has the ability to step up, so he deserves the respect he’s getting.”

He added that trying to smother him with a box-and-one defense is a sign of respect to Quiambao’s ability to carry his team to victory.

“When you play box-and-one on somebody, that’s one of the highest sign of respect that they can get, and we were happy with it,” he said.