Reigning Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao took matters into his own hands as De La Salle University began its UAAP Collegiate Men’s Basketball bid for back-to-back titles with an emphatic 78-75 come-from-behind win over National University, Sunday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Quiambao drained the most important three-pointer of the night, a left-wing triple that gave the Green Archers a 78-75 lead with 9.8 seconds left to overhaul what was once a 71-64 advantage for the Bulldogs with 5:24 left in the fourth quarter.
Reinhard Jumamoy, in the ensuing play threw up a shot from beyond the arc but missed. Jake Figueroa was able to get it back but his shot was way off as time expired.
“That’s the beauty of having him. The last possessions of the game wherein he’s gonna make the right decision. We always tell this in our team Kevin will win games for us and he will lose games for us, the fact that he had five turnovers was just evident of the freedom that he has,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson.
Behind 64-71, it was Earl Abadam who pulled La Salle first to within three after four straight points on a deuce and two free throws before Quiambao drilled a three that knotted the game at 71 with 2:53 left.
After a PJ Palacielo bucket for NU, EJ Gollena answered with a split at the line to make it 72-73 before the UAAP Season 85 Rookie of the Year drove hard to the basket for a layup plus a foul, giving his side a 75-73 cushion with 1:35 to go.
Jolo Manansala, however, retaliated with an inside basket for another deadlock, this time at 75 with 1:21 remaining before Quiambao happened.
Overall, the 6-foot-6 point-forward scored nine points in the last 2:53 of the match to finish with 22 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists against five turnovers.
“Hindi nagclick yung kung anong gusto naming takbo buong game then pinoint out ko lang sa sarili ko na kailangan ko mag takeover mode, so ang ginawa ko lang ay naging glue guy lang ako ng team then good thing naman pumasok yung tira ko,” said Quiambao.
Mike Phillips, now on his fourth year, also chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench while starting forward EJ Gollena impressed with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting.
La Salle will next collide with Adamson University on Wednesday, still at the Big Dome.
Figueroa paced the brave NU stand with 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists as well as Palacielo, who tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds to go with three steals.
The Bulldogs took a hit early in the game as Malian student-athlete Mohammed Diassana suffered an apparent left knee injury in a defensive play at the 5:57 mark of the opening period.
NU will shoot for a bounce-back win on Saturday against Far Eastern University at the same arena.
The Scores:
DLSU 78 – Quiambao 22, Phillips 12, Gollena 10, Abadam 8, Gonzales 6, Ramiro 6, Macalalag 5, David 4, Dungo 2, Aguanne 2, Marasigan 1, Konov 0.
NU 75 – Figueroa 15, Palacielo 15, Manansala 10, Padrones 7, Jumamoy 6, Francisco 6, Enriquez 4, Yu 2, Dela Cruz 2, Garcia 2, Perciano 2, Santiago 2, Lim 2, Lim 2, Diasanna 0.
Quarterscores: 23-18, 45-45, 60-65, 78-75