UAAP Players of the Week: Quiambao posts triple-double anew; Konateh shines

MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle and National University continued to be cut above the rest in the second round of the UAAP Season 86 men’s and women's basketball tournaments as the only unbeaten squads so far heading into the Final Four, thanks to Kevin Quiambao and Jainaba Konateh, respectively.

While Quiambao registered a rare second triple-double outing to bring La Salle back to the Final Four, Konateh also steered the semifinal-bound NU to its ninth straight win.

Displaying all-around brilliance in the past week, Quiambao for the second time and Konateh were feted by the Collegiate Press Corps as the UAAP Men's and Women's Players of the Week for the period of November 4 to 12.

The sophomore forward delivered another sensational triple-double after unleashing 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 12 assists to go with four steals and two blocks in the team’s 86-76 win against the UE Red Warriors, becoming the first player in modern league history to register more than one triple-double in a single season.

Quiambao previously scattered 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists in La Salle's 88-78 revenge win over NU for the league's first triple-double since 2018.

One of La Salle’s biggest breakthroughs in the ongoing round came after its 88-79 victory over the UP Fighting Maroons which saw Quiambao drop 22 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals.

Against Adamson, its tormentor in a rare Finals Four miss last season, the Green Archers claimed their ticket back semis with a 69-57 as the 22-year-old ace collared a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The MVP frontrunner has been nothing short of consistent in the Green Archers’ twice-to-beat bid, something that he’s constantly insisted he owed to the coaching staff’s system.

“Kevin is really a blessing to have for coaches, you have a coach’s dream and he’s one of those guys that I’m so fortunate to coach. He and these guys just make my life easier,” said head coach Topex Robinson.

“One good thing about Kevin is he makes everybody around him look good. That just shows how much he really cares for this team more than obviously getting that individual award or winning a championship.”

Quiambao averaged 16.7 points, 14.0