One-and-done center Quentin Millora-Brown’s move to play for University of the Philippines was more than just a motive to elevate his basketball skills.
It was also about continuing and cementing a family legacy.
Dr. Angel Millora, a UP alumnus and a great-grandfather, was Quentin’s inspiration to don the colors of the Fighting Maroons. He was a physician who graduated from the UP College of Medicine in 1963.
This fuel to represent his family on the biggest Philippine collegiate basketball stage further heightened when his grandfather passed away last month.
That left Millora-Brown eager to not only have a fitting sendoff to his short UAAP career, but to also honor the legacy of his grandfather.
And he played a vital role in the Fighting Maroons’ thrilling 66-62 Game 3 victory to reclaim the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball title in front of a record-breaking 25,248 crowd on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
With UP holding a precarious 64-62 lead with 11.3 seconds left, Millora-Brown was sent to the free throw line.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Taking to his heart, soul, and mind the countless cherished moments when his grandfather emphasized the importance of free throws, Millora-Brown calmly sank both charities – sealing the final score and the championship at 66-62.
The 6-foot-10 Filipino-American big man ended the day with a team-high 14-point performance to go along with 10 rebounds, one steal, and one block.
And that let the Fighting Maroons snag their second UAAP title in four seasons following two consecutive silver medal finishes in Seasons 85 and 86.
“I just had a big smile after the buzzer. Basketball was one of his passions, along with medicine, [and] he would always try to coach me,” the Citadel product shared.
He revealed, “It was always free throws, he would always talk about free throws. Being able to come in and hit two clutch free throws in the end, it was a great nod to him. I’m so happy.
“It was the perfect milestone. I thank my Lolo, I hope he’s been watching down from Heaven with my Lola up in Heaven. It’s the greatest ending to my short UAAP career.”
With this decision to continue his family’s legacy at UP, Millora-Brown will now leave the Fighting Maroons filled with gratitude and absent-minded from regrets.
While bringing home a championship back to State U was definitely an accolade for the books, Millora-Brown will bring the countless relationships and bonds he has formed with all Fighting Maroons staff – from coaches, teammates, management, and his family.
“They’re friends that I am gonna have for the rest of my life. Everybody says that when you’re in a championship team, they stick together 10 years down the line, five years down the line, 20 years down the line – always gonna be remembered and get back together,” he concluded.
“These friendships are friendships that are for life. Similar to my move to join UP to continue my family’s legacy, I’ve now gained another family of my own with these guys.”
