Quentin Millora-Brown made a strong impression in his debut with the University of the Philippines during the UAAP Season 87 collegiate men’s basketball tournament on Saturday.
The 6-foot-10 Filipino-American big man, formerly from Citadel in the United States, showcased his on-court awareness. He grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
He also blocked two shots and scored seven points, shooting 3-of-6 from the field and 1-of-4 from the free-throw line.
While his scoring output was not as high as JD Cagulangan and Francis Lopez (who led UP with 17 and 14 points respectively) Millora-Brown was content with his contribution as long as the team achieved their goal – a victory.
The Fighting Maroons kicked off their hosting season in style, dominating the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles, 77-61, before a crowd of 12,932 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“For me, the focus was just playing with the team; the rebounds and points will come,” said Millora-Brown, affectionately known as QMB. “It may be my night one night, it could be JD, Francis, or Dikachi (Ududo) – anyone’s night.
“We have a really talented team, so I focus on winning and doing whatever it takes to help the team.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
QMB will be competing for minutes in a crowded frontcourt that includes Nigerian student-athlete Dikachi Ududo, Gani Stevens, Sean Alter, Francis Lopez, and Mark Belmonte.
In their opener against the Blue Eagles, he logged 24 minutes and 49 seconds, the second-most on his team.
With the departure of Season 85 Most Valuable Player Malick Diouf, who graduated last season, the Fighting Maroons need their big men to step up.
Millora-Brown feels prepared to rise to the occasion and improve as he gains more experience with his teammates.
“We understand that we have a deep team with many young players developing alongside skilled veterans. It’s just a matter of continuing to work together and learning how to play with each other better as the season progresses,” said Millora-Brown, who made the 2024 SoCon All-Defensive Team last season.
“I believe that as we figure out each other’s strengths, we’ll be able to find what we need to win this year.”
After winning the championship in Season 84, UP has settled for back-to-back silver finishes in the past two years.
This year, the team is out to reclaim the throne – and QMB could be a key factor in that campaign.
