UAAP: How Topex's message sparked hot shooting from Escandor, David

MANILA — Playing a factor in La Salle's huge Game 2 win over the UP Fighting Maroons was the Green Archers' hot shooting from beyond the arc.

In last Sunday's game, the Robinson-mentored squad sank 12 of their 38 attempts from the three-point area, and eight of those 12 makes came from Francis Escandor and Joshua David.

The former, who only averaged 4.3 points in the elimination round, finished with a team-high 14 markers, while the latter, who only scored 3.4 in 13 games, followed with 12.

Their production helped La Salle overpower UP, 82-60, and force a do-or-die Game 3 in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball Finals.

• UAAP: La Salle turns the tables on UP to force do-or-die Game 3

Escandor shared during Sunday’s post-game that the reason why he ended up with one of the best games was simple — they were beaten badly by State U in Game 1, and he refused to call it a season just yet.

“First of all, I’m just really happy that we got the win. Coming from a big loss, we really wanted to bounce back,” the 6-foot-2 wingman said.

“No matter what our mindset was, hinding hindi kami magpapatalo this game. We really wanted to win and we showed that we really wanted to win,” he added.

Meanwhile, David said that it was Robinson who lit the fire in them, and this led into the 6-foot guard sinking four of his six three-point bombs.

“Yun nga, sobrang saya kasi naka-bounce back kami after ng malaking talo namin,” he said.

“Pero yung malaking factor siguro yung sinabihan kami ni coach Topex na pag open kayo, tira niyo. Shoot with confidence daw. Para samin, sobrang laking push,” he added.

Robinson vouched for what his gunners revealed, and he was glad that his pep talk with his shooters made magic for the Taft Cagers.

“They just had the opportunity [that] we've discussed during the preparation for Game 2. When you have a chance to really take that shot, you have to shoot it with confidence,” the former PBA coach said.

But for Topex, what Francis and Josh bring to the team goes beyond La Salle’s offense.

“Those are the shots that they've been really working on during the games, and we just have to give him the green light to really shoot it. But more than that, it's really more of the way they really defended the wings and the guards of UP,” Robinson explained.

“Again, give them the scoring, but I guess for them what worked for them was they were [also] playing defense.”

It was not just Robinson, however, who gave credit to the duo.

No other than newly-crowned UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao also applauded Escandor and David’s performances and how they remained prepared despite seeing limited minutes during the first 14 games.

“Every game naman, may puputok talaga. ‘Di mo lang alam kung sino. Sobrang thankful ako na nandyan sila. Stay ready lang sila and ginagawa lang nila yung trabaho nila under sa system ni coach Topex,” said KQ.

It is now up to Francis and Josh to at least, repeat, or even do greater than their previous performance as La Salle hopes to finally end their almost-a-decade title drought on Wednesday, 6 PM, at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

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