MANILA, Philippines – Have we seen the last of Kevin Quiambao in the UAAP?
After coming up short in their bid for back-to-back titles in the Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, the La Salle Green Archers star Quiambao remained mum on the rumors of him taking his talents to Korea immediately after their best-of-three series against the UP Fighting Maroons.
“For me, I will rest first,” Quiambao told reporters in Filipino after La Salle’s 66-62 Game 3 loss to UP at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 15.
“I think I have until this December. I will rest first and then I don’t know what’s next,” he added.
Rumors of Quiambao flying to Korea to join the Goyang Sono Skygunners in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) grew louder right before the start of the finals, saying the back-to-back UAAP MVP has already signed a contract with the ball club.
But after a grueling three-game finals series against the Fighting Maroons, not to mention his stint with Gilas Pilipinas late in November, Quiambao simply wants to take his time recharging before mulling his next career move.
“For now, I don’t want to think about it first. I’ll really rest for now since I’ve been playing basketball non-stop for eight months,” Quiambao said in Filipino.
In what could be his final game in the UAAP, Quiambao finished with a finals-low 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting and 4 rebounds, a huge dip from his 22-point and 9-rebound output in Game 2, where he willed the Green Archers to victory with two huge treys in the endgame.
Still, Quiambao wrapped up the Season 87 finals with averages of 17.3 points and 8 rebounds for La Salle, which failed to secure its first back-to-back titles since 2001.
“Medyo kinapos, pero babawi sila,” hinted Quiambao with a smile.
(We fell short, but they will come back). – Rappler.com