Kevin Quiambao resets career high, La Salle routs Ateneo

La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao reacts during a game against Ateneo in UAAP Season 87.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Kevin Quiambao reset his career-high to power La Salle past Ateneo, 80-65, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Saturday night at Mall of Asia Arena.

Quiambao unleashed 33 points on top of 11 rebounds as the league-leading Green Archers stretched their winning streak to seven to improve to 10-1.

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The reigning MVP eclipsed his previous high of 29 he tallied in a victory over University of Santo Tomaso 10 days ago.

READ: UAAP: Final Four-bound La Salle wants no let up

La Salle coach Topex Robinson and Kevin Quiambao after sweeping Ateneo in #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/hiW2ublHVp

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) October 26, 2024

“It’s a good win for us. But we’re still far from where we want to go. And then, coach told us that after this game, we have a long break so, he told us to be all out. And then, that’s it. I just waited for the game to come to me and then, coach told me to “mag-bakaw,” so binakaw ko na. I just followed what he said, I’m sorry,” Quiambao said with a laugh.

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Ateneo cut an 18-point deficit in half late in the fourth quarter before La Salle responded by closing the game on a 7-0 run.

“Every time you play Ateneo, it’s always going to be something to always value and we were talking about this earlier during the pregame huddle, that you want to make sure that when the time comes 10, 20 years from now and you see that game, you have to ask yourself what did you do to help or to contribute to that victory,” said La Salle coach Topex Robinson, whose squad had already secured a Final Four spot following a win over Adamson last week.

“We know it’s going to be a hard-fought game. The team is really a solid team with a lot of winning tradition so, we just kept our composure. We know that there’s going to be a run that they’re going to make and we just want to make sure we stick to what we prepared for playing against Ateneo,” Robinson added.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

La Salle, which also beat Ateneo by double digits last month in their first-round meeting, won big despite turning the ball over 20 times compared to Ateneo’s 12 miscues.

Ateneo rookie Jared Bahay also scored a career-high after dropping 22 points on 53 percent shooting. He also had four assists.

The Green Archers won’t be back in action until Nov. 6 against Far Eastern University while Ateneo faces another league heavyweight in University of the Philippines on Wednesday.