As a one-and-done player, Quentin Millora-Brown is enjoying every minute of playing for the UP Fighting Maroons — and he doesn’t have many left.
Quentin Millora-Brown has one chance to win a UAAP men’s basketball championship with the University of the Philippines. Just one.
It would mean the world to QMB — whom many among the UP faithful regard as the team’s “missing piece” in their last two runner-up finishes in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament — to lead the Fighting Maroons to the promised land, especially after the recent passing of his grandfather, who served as his inspiration for choosing to don the Maroons jersey.
“You know, it means so much to me. UP is the place that my grandfather went to school,” the one-and-done UP player explained. “It’s the place that…I was so glad to be able to make those memories, things that he’s seen, things that he’s done, and just the pride that I feel when I wear the jersey…”
And after he led the Fighting Maroons to a victory over the defending champions, De La Salle University, in the first game of the best-of-three series, he is one game closer to getting the job done.
Millora-Brown proved to be UP’s X-factor against the Green Archers in their Game 1 tangle in Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night. Although La Salle was able to hold him back in the first half, limiting him to just four points, they seemed to have little answer for the 6-foot-10 big in the second half, as he broke out to score a career-high 17 points, on top of nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
“You know, I’m really excited that we were able to get the win,” he told The GAME in a post-game interview. “But you know, the job’s not over yet. We have to figure out a way to win.”
UP’s 73-65 win in the first game of the finals marked their first win over the Green Archers in UAAP Season 87. They were bested by the defending champions in both rounds of the eliminations. So even though QMB and his teammates found a way to limit DLSU’s usual scoring sprees last night, he’s not resting on his laurels just yet.
“We know that La Salle’s going to come with twice as much energy next game. So, just being prepared for that, you know, ready to lock in when the time comes,” he reflected. “You know, it’s exciting to be able to be up in the series, but it’s a series at the end of the day. If you don’t put it away, it doesn’t matter.”
The missing piece?
Quentin Millora-Brown gave it his all on the court to lift UP to an advantage in the series, and one of his biggest jobs was putting La Salle’s Mike Phillips to the test.
The second half saw the two centers going back and forth for their respective teams. In the end, Phillips also closed the game with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists — but to a losing effort, as the Maroons did well to hold the rest of La Salle’s offense back.
QMB enjoyed every minute of the challenge in doing so. As he reflected post-game, “Oh, I mean, what an amazing competition between us [him and Phillips]. You know, he crashed the boards so hard. Just, like, I tried to do the same. And I think that there’s a lot of respect for our games between each other. And, you know, it’s fun to play, right? Like, we both love playing and try and play at the highest level we can. So, there’s just a lot of respect there.”
In the same vein, Phillips only had kind words to say about UP’s center.
“What I love about him is his motor,” the Green Archer shared. “I’m not saying he’s not talented but he’s really a good example of a person who has energy, motor, hustle and he doesn’t need talent. It’s just a given that he’s talented, plus he has those things.”
Similar things will be expected of Millora-Brown come Game 2 on Wednesday in the SM Mall of Asia Arena. So for QMB, right now, it’s all about keeping his head down and seeing this series through.
“You know, as I’ve always said, like, it’s just every day, what am I asked? And being prepared to do that,” he asserted.
After proving to be the difference for the Fighting Maroons in last night’s game, the former US NCAA Division 1 player has become a huge star for the UP community, and he relishes in being able to don the Maroon jersey and represent the fans.
“I think the UP community is so strong, so tied together, so amazing. And just being able to represent in the finals and play for the hopes of a championship is amazing,” he said. “You know, I think [the fans cheering] gives all of us energy…You’re locked into the moment of playing. But, like, you can just feel that support, that energy that’s in the building.”
Already down to his last few games as a Fighting Maroon, Quentin Millora-Brown is indeed making the most out of every moment on the court — and with just a few days before Game 2, he’s already raring to get back out there.
“You know, I know that [DLSU is] going to come out with so much energy, so much intensity…I know that from the start, they’re playing with that hunger, that do or die. So, I’m excited to be able to play that.”
Banner image from UAAP Media Bureau.