La Salle's Quiambao, UST's Pastrana earn UAAP weekly player honors

MANILA, Philippines – They are watching from the throne and already in the zone.

The UAAP Season 87 basketball wars have begun, and defending champions De La Salle Green Archers and UST Growling Tigresses right away are on top of the food chain in the men’s and women’s divisions with perfect 3-0 starts.

And in the middle of it all are stars Kevin Quiambao and Kent Pastrana.

With their stellar play for their respective teams, Quiambao and Pastrana have earned nods for the first Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Players of the Week awards for the period of September 7-15.

The two stars were also named the UAAP men’s and women’s basketball players of the year by the CPC in the offseason after leading La Salle and UST to the Season 86 crowns.

Quiambao, the 23-year-old reigning Most Valuable Player, averaged monster numbers of 18.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game against NU, Adamson and Ateneo to grab the men’s weekly award backed by Discovery Suites and World Balance.

Against NU, he hit the game-winning 3-pointer as he sank nine of the last 14 points of the Taft-based cagers. He was also the charging force behind the Archers in a 30-point rout against the Soaring Falcons, and flirted with a triple-double against the Blue Eagles.

Quiambao got the unanimous vote over UP’s JD Cagulangan, UST’s Nic Cabanero and Adamson’s Monty Montebon.

But with his early outstanding play, the forward stressed that he and the team still have a lot to improve on.

“So far, lahat sa amin, marami pang pagkukulang, especially me, marami pa akong pagkukulang dahil bago nga lang ako sa leadership role. Pero kailangan lang namin na gawin namin yung best namin and control yung mako-control namin,” he said.

Over in women’s basketball, Pastrana’s huge performances against UE, Ateneo and Adamson put the Tigresses firmly ahead of the competition.

She averaged 16.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in the stretch, which saw UST blow out its first two opponents before fending off Adamson on Sunday to stay unbeaten.

She edged out reigning women’s MVP Kacey dela Rosa of Ateneo, UP’s Louna Ozar and NU’s Camille Clarin to bag the distinction.  

The 24-year-old winger voiced her readiness to lead by example as she assumed the leadership role for the Tigresses.

“Oo, meron talagang nagbago [sa mindset.] Unang una yung maturity talaga kasi yun nga sinasabi sa akin palagi ni coach ikaw yung isa sa leader sa loob ng court, kailangan mag-set ka ng tone so kung ano iyong ipinapakita mo sa loob,” she said.

“Lahat susunod talaga lalo na yung mga bata kasi yun nga magseset ka ng good example sa loob ng court as a veteran.”

La Salle will try to continue its winning ways in the men's tournament as it faces the UE Red Warriors on Sunday, September 22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. UST, for its part, aims to make it four in a row in women's play also against NU in last season’s Finals rematch on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.