By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Kevin Quiambao has expressed interest in joining De La Salle University’s esports team to compete in the 2025 UAAP Esports Tournament, specifically in the game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
However, Quiambao believes there are many talented individuals who may be more deserving of the spot than him. Still, if given the opportunity, he would be excited to support the team.
“Actually, kausap ko na yung DLSU Esports namin. Pero sa tingin ko, mas maraming deserving kaysa sa akin na Lasallian,” said the 23-year-old forward in an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times.
“Pero kung bigyan naman ako ng chance, why not? Suportahan ko na lang sila. Pero ayon nga, in the end, may mas maraming deserving kaysa sa akin, mas maraming magaling maglaro sa akin ng ML,” he continued.
Quiambao’s journey into MLBB began in 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many others, he found himself with extra time on his hands, which quickly turned into a serious hobby.
Playing frequently during the pandemic, Quiambao achieved the rank of Mythical Glory with over 4,000 points, or 200 stars.
“Ever since 2020 pa, nag-start na ako maglaro ng ML. Noong 2020, pandemic, walang ginagawa, medyo na-adik ako maglaro eh. Up until now, naglalaro pa rin ako ng ML pero hindi na gaano, hindi na ganon ka-focus sa ML, focus na sa basketball at sa life,” he shared.
The Green Archers are currently leading the standings in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament with an impressive 11-1 record.
For Quiambao, balancing a busy basketball schedule and personal life means finding time to unwind through gaming. To relieve stress after practice, he plays MLBB and livestreams on TikTok before taking care of his baby.
“After practice sa UAAP, pag-uwi ko sa bahay, before ako mag-alaga ng baby, nag-ML muna ako ng kaunti kasi nilalabas ko lang yung stress ko, parang ayaw kong isipin yung stress sa araw na ‘to, yung pagod,” said the reigning MVP.
“Before ako mag-alaga ng baby, nagla-live stream ako kaunti,” he concluded.
The UAAP Esports Tournament began on August 13, following the conclusion of Season 86, and featured games like MLBB, NBA 2K24, and Valorant.
University of the East, Paolo Medina of Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University were crowned as the inaugural champions in each title, respectively.