It’s the end of a productive three-year stay in Taft for DLSU stars Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao.
Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao shared an emotional hug as DLSU’s UAAP Season 87 Final Four loss to the FEU Tamaraws began to sink in Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.
It was a familiar ending for the Green Spikers, who finished in fourth place for the third-straight season. Only this time, there was no more going back for Kampton and Maglinao, with Season 87 serving as their final year in Taft Avenue.
But while it wasn’t the fairytale ending that they wished for, the graduating pair will nonetheless exit with their heads held high, knowing that they gave it their all to establish DLSU’s return to relevance in the UAAP’s post-pandemic era.
“Sobrang happy ako kasi nagbuild kami ng ‘dynasty’ sa La Salle, na ‘yung mga new gens. Kahit di kami nag-champion, parang nakilala kami sa La Salle and nakaka-proud lang kasi sa bubble training pa lang, magkakasama na kami and sobrang masaya lang talaga ako,” Kampton told The GAME in a joint exclusive interview with Maglinao.
As part of DLSU’s indoor team since Season 85, the graduating pair were key to the Green Spikers’ three straight Final Four appearances, joining hands with a core that also included captain-libero Mennard Guerrero and setter Eco Adajar to name a few.
More than their efforts towards DLSU’s resurgence, the graduating spikers will forever cherish the UAAP’s one-of-a-kind atmosphere, where each student-athlete receives a sense of purpose in wearing school pride on their chests.
“Iba ‘yung vibe talaga ni UAAP compared to other leagues, ‘yung mga professional leagues. ‘Yung UAAP is ‘yung school pride, ‘yun talaga ‘yung mamimiss namin, na paano ipaglaban ‘yung school,” Maglinao said, with Kampton sharing similar thoughts.
“Kasi dito naman sa UAAP, since collegiate siya and minsan lang siya, we’re not paid to play. We don’t get salaries as compared sa pro, and ‘yung dito, kaya kami naglalaro is because mahal namin ‘yung school. Yun ‘yung makakamiss talaga.”
Born on the sands, nurtured on the Taraflex
In starting their life after the UAAP, Kampton and Maglinao will also be moving forward from a partnership that started way back on the sand courts in 2022.
The tandem first represented DLSU in beach volleyball during UAAP Season 84, where they finished with a bronze medal behind the NU Bulldogs and UST Tiger Sands.
“Nung Season 84 na beach, ‘yun ‘yung parang first time namin na magsama talaga! Partners kami noon, naka-bronze kami noon! Syempre sobrang happy kasi hindi naman kami beach volleyball player talaga, nag-training lang kami ng one month,” Maglinao recalled.
Little did they know at the time how this partnership would blossom into a solid brotherhood, one where they would witness each other’s growth into the seniors that they are today.
“Right after that [beach volleyball medal], ako, personally seeing him grow and having his son beside him, sobrang laking factor nun sa personal development niya,” Maglinao said of Kampton and his newborn son, Leon.
In taking on a leadership role, Kampton capped off his collegiate career as Season 87’s leading scorer in eliminations, while Maglinao made sure to remain impactful in his final year by providing sound floor defense amid his recovery from a left ankle sprain.
Kampton also turned sentimental upon describing his and Maglinao’s now-unbreakable bond, where he saw his fellow outside hitter grow from an unheralded prospect into one of the Green Spikers’ key cogs toward Final Four contention.
“Seeing Vince, medyo alam mo ‘yun? Hindi kami sobrang close nung bago [kaming magkasama],” shared Kampton. “Pero habang patagal nang patagal na, everytime kami nagkakaintindihan, and I’m so proud of him!”
“Di naman siya ‘yung top-recruited player, pero ‘yun, nakuha niya ‘yung respeto ng tao [na siya si] Vince Maglinao! Ang pangit nga lang ng nangyari ngayon, na may mga injury kami. Pero still, no one can replace Vince.”
End of an era
Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao’s graduation ultimately signals the end of an era in DLSU, with about half of their current core having exhausted their playing years as well.
Along with the outside hitter tandem, also set to graduate are captain Menard Guerrero, Poqs Poquita and Tantan De Castro, while second-year playmaker Eco Adajar is still undecided on returning for Season 88.
Still, Kampton and Maglinao remain confident that the next batch of Green Spikers can build on the contending status they have worked hard to establish.
“Confident ako knowing na nagka-experience sila ng ganito, ‘yung grabe ang gulo ng games! I think next season, feeling ko mas magmamature sila, kasi ganun din kami dati, ‘di ba? Nung bago-bago kami, wala [hirap din], pero kahit patagal nang patagal, nag mature talaga kami, and as Vince says, trust the process talaga,” Kampton said, with the likes of Rui Ventura and Uriel “Yoyong” Mendoza expected to lead the Green Spikers for Season 88.
For now, the pair will be taking a much-needed break from volleyball before plotting out their next steps, along with full prioritization of any academic backlogs.
And as they prepare to plunge into uncharted waters, Maglinao is leaving it all up to God in this latest chapter of his and Kampton’s careers.
“We had bigger goals [for Season 87], and we had higher dreams na hindi lang siguro pinalad na mapunta doon. Siguro God really has better plans for us, He really does. Ako personally, ‘yun ‘yung kinakapitan ko and whatever that plan is, I’ll just trust it.”
Banner images courtesy of Cas Aseoche, UAAP Media Bureau.