La Salle coach Robinson opens up on run-in with UP player

MANILA, Philippines -- La Salle head coach Topex Robinson thanked the Green Archers community for supporting him following the controversial run-in with University of the Philippines Fighting Maroon Reyland Torres last week.

La Salle defeated UP, 68-56, in the final game of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament first round last Sunday, October 6.

But the game was marred by a heated incident in the third quarter, when both sides pointed fingers at each other.

After the game, Torres reportedly accused Robinson of spitting at him, with the latter stressing that he only shouted at the former.

The UAAP on Saturday announced that the two were issued stern warnings for unsportsmanlike conduct.

After the Green Archers’ 77-68 win over the University of the East Red Warriors on Saturday, Robinson let all emotions loose as he broke his silence on what happened.

“I’m just so fortunate that I have my La Sallian family – the team, the management and all the people who came to me and tried to support me because tao rin po ako. Yung huhugasgahan ninyo po ako na hindi nyo po muna nakukuha yung totoong istorya, syempre po masakit din para sa akin,” he said.

“But nakikiusap lang po ako sana na wag na po tayong maglabas o magbatuhan ng accusations because we’re playing this game of basketball and we just want to enjoy it. Nakikiusap din po ako sa mga tao na tumulong sa akin, maraming maraming salamat po,” he added.

WATCH: Portion of Topex Robinson’s statement on the incident with UP Fighting Maroon Reyland Torres @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/S8N82J6VPM

— Ralph Edwin Villanueva (@_ralphedwin) October 12, 2024

He also slammed those who hurled negative words unto him, including a certain “Mrs. Villanueva”, who supposedly accused him in front of his family.

“At ‘yung mga tumawag po sa akin ng ‘squatter’. Maraming salamat din po sa inyo dahil po talaga po namang naghirap ako at kung ano naman po ‘yung narating, na-achieve ko ngayon dahil po pinagsikapan ko. Ang tanong ko lang po, kapag po ba squatter, masamang tao?” he said.

The champion coach also called on the public not to accuse Torres as he also apologized to him.

“At ngayon po, nakikiusap rin po sana ako. Sana po wag din po natin akusahan yung bata. Dahil 'di niyo po kakayanin ‘yung pinagdaanan ko. Sana po bigyan po rin siya ng pang-unawa sa mga nagawa niya dahil alam ko po gaano kahirap yun,” he said.

“Muli po, humihingi po ako ng paumanhin sa bata dahil po sa nagawa kong pagbigay sa kanya at sana po magkaroon ng chance na makalimutan na po natin to at sawa na po tayo sa kakabato ng bintang sa ibang tao. Sana po maging lesson ito sa lahat na kung wala po sana kayong sure na proof, wag po kayong mag-akusa kasi napasakit po,” he added.

“Iningatan ko po yung pangalan ko nang napakatagal. Kung nasaan po ako ngayon, wala po akong dinayang tao. Nanalo po ako ng games dahil po ginawa ko yung tama. Para po akusahan nyo ako na masamang tao. Pero pinapatawad ko po kayo. I will always live by what we always pray at La Salle. I will continue to do all my actions for the love of you.”

For his part, Mike Phillips stressed that the whole team and the whole La Salle community are behind Robinson.

“So even if Coach Topex has anything to do with the UP situation, I just want everyone to know that myself, the whole entire team, and the whole La Salle community is behind him because he's proven that he's been behind us,” he said.

“When the lights were off, it could've been easy to say, hey, it's the team. But when the lights are on and the lights are off, you can see Coach Topex is a man that really...he's a man of his word and he sticks up for his players. So when we make a mistake, he sticks up for us,” he added.

The coach was also described by Robinson as an “extension of Jesus.”

“Coach is someone that really is, for me, he's really an extension of Jesus, because look at him, he's human. He's human. We are all human. Even though we mess up, even though tempers fly - we go back and forth a lot - but he's always there for us. Even at our lowest, he's there for us. Now that we're at a higher point, he's still there for us.”

The Taft-based squad is now solely on top of the competition with a 7-1 win-loss record, including four straight victories.

The Green Archers will take on the Adamson Soaring Falcons next Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.