Adjustments highlight Topex’ mastery
Sportung chaneLa Salle coach Topex Robinson will be the first to admit that the Archers couldn’t have won the UAAP men’s basketball championship without his core staff. Assistants Caloy Garcia, Gian Nazario, Mon Jose, Oliver Bunyi and JB Sison weren’t just stand-ins or props. They were active participants in the coaching process from scouting to viewing to game-planning to communicating with the players on how to execute on both ends.
Garcia is Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao’s chief assistant in the PBA and Jose is Magnolia coach Chito Victolero’s defensive coach, also in the PBA. Nazario has deep roots in La Salle like Garcia, Bunyi and Jose. Nazario is also an assistant coach at De La Salle Zobel in the UAAP juniors. Garcia studied at St. Benilde where he also coached while Bunyi and Jose suited up for the Archers. Sison is a San Beda Hall of Famer whose ability to work with youth players is well-known. One of his San Beda players was Evan Nelle with whom he was reunited at La Salle. Robinson’s strength and conditioning coaches are Migs Aytona and Gelo Vito who also went to La Salle.
In Game 1 of the Finals, UP trounced La Salle, 97-67. The Archers were totally outplayed and never had a chance. The Maroons designated small defenders on Kevin Quiambao who had difficulty extricating and whose tendency to pull the ball on the floor before attacking was exploited. UP played with a high level of physicality that clearly disrupted the Archers’ flow. The Maroons forced 18 miscues and scored more turnover points, 24-2. La Salle was coming off a nine-game win streak so it could be the Archers felt they were invincible. UP delivered a lesson that shocked La Salle back to its senses. The Maroons pounced on La Salle’s zone and scored nine triples. Malick Diouf presided in UP’s domination of the boards with 15 of 55 rebounds, 10 more than La Salle. The Archers were slow to battle for 50-50 balls and looked like lost sheep on the court. UP collected more steals, 12-4.
Robinson made key adjustments in Game 2, going man-to-man, blitzing the pick-and-roll, closing out hard on shooters and influencing facilitators into attacking one-on-one instead of patiently looking for
