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La Salle coach Topex Robinson –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Some of the vile that was thrown his way after a controversial first meeting in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament resurfaced in the rematch between defending champion La Salle and University of the Philippines (UP).

A part of Topex Robinson relished it.

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“I’ve been with coach Yeng [Guiao] for the most part of my career. I know how it feels to be hated,” Robinson, who played for the mercurial mentor in his stint with Red Bull in the PBA, told the Inquirer late Sunday evening.

“I always remind myself of what he said that if there were no Paquito Diaz, there wouldn’t be an FPJ,” he added, referring to the late legendary actor Fernando Poe Jr., whose action films always included perennial foil Diaz.

“When I was in Red Bull, [being the villain] was our role so [the animosity] doesn’t really bother me; I really enjoy it.”

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Besides, Robinson said, “[A]t the end of the day, this is a basketball game and games are won by those who score the most points.”

And in the second meeting between the two finalists last season, it was the Archers who up the most points, their 77-66 victory over the Maroons in front of 13,820 animated souls at Smart Araneta Coliseum completing a season sweep of UP.

Much as he embraced the villain role, however, Robinson refused to be distracted by the outside noise leading into the highly anticipated matchup, one created by La Salle’s 68-56 victory over UP in the first round that featured allegations of spitting that nearly emptied both benches.

“I just approached it as how I approach every game—that I am just gonna focus on how to teach my players [to play the right way] and then make sure that we’re on the same page,” Robinson said.

And the players responded.

Kevin Quiambao, Mike Phillips and Joshua David joined hands in forging the repeat victory, maintaining La Salle’s psychological edge over UP while nailing the No. 1 spot heading into the playoffs with an unreachable 12-1 (win-loss) record.

The Maroons, now 9-3, will settle for valuable crumbs: As the No. 2 team, they will have the other win-once advantage against whoever ends up the No. 3 team.

Killing the noise

Quiambao collected 15 points to bounce back from an uncharacteristic outing against Far Eastern University where he only connected on two shots. Energy guy Phillips had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds while David chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.

Those are the performances Robinson wants highlighted, and why he opted to kill whatever noise generated by the first meeting between the two schools.

“[I only did] what I was supposed to do and led these guys and I cannot shortchange them by being selfish,” Robinson said. “I apologized to them because during the first round I felt so bad because [the controversy] took away the credit from the players who really played well in that game. So [this time] I said things can’t be about me again. I don’t wanna be selfish.”

La Salle is left with a last assignment in also-ran National University, a nonbearing game on Wednesday at University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion. The idle Archers await who they will face in the playoffs with the No. 4 spot, which the Growling Tigers are currently sitting on, still to be decided.

Still chasing a coveted Final Four spot are Adamson and the Tamaraws with University of the East’s hold on No. 3 still precarious as well.

“[Prevailing against UP again] doesn’t really affect us that much that we worry too much about those things,” Robinson said. “When I was with [Lyceum as head coach], I’d been No. 1 a lot of times [and ended up not winning the title] so I know the feeling. I have the experience of not finishing strong so that’s always the reminder for me.” INQ