Kevin Quiambao may be in the middle of the busiest offseason of his basketball career, but the reigning KBL Rookie of the Year insists one thing hasn't changed: his mindset.
Quiambao finished with 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals in his first tune-up game appearance as Goyang Sono defeated the University of the Philippines, 94-78, in an exhibition game Tuesday at Sono Arena.
Johnny O'Bryant added 32 points and 13 rebounds, while Lim Dong-seob knocked down three 3-pointers on his way to 13 points. Veteran guard Lee Jae-do chipped in eight points and 10 assists as Sono rallied for the victory.
The exhibition also marked the first time Quiambao and O'Bryant shared the court together.
"My condition keeps getting better every day since I arrived in Korea," Quiambao said. "I think playing with the Philippine national team before coming here really helped."
For Quiambao, however, this stop in Korea will be brief.
After spending just over a week practicing with Sono, he will return to the Philippines on Aug. 15 to rejoin Gilas Pilipinas for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers (Window 4) and the Asian Games. Once those commitments are over, he'll head back to Korea to prepare for the KBL regular season.
"Even though my stay here is short, it's a valuable opportunity," Quiambao said. "It's important for me to reconnect with the team, understand our direction for the new season and build chemistry before returning to the national team."
Building chemistry has become Quiambao's primary focus during his limited time with Sono.
"The roster hasn't changed dramatically," he said. "But we have new teammates like Jun-hyuk and Johnny O'Bryant, so it's important to develop chemistry with them. Scotty James will join us later this month as well. I believe we already established our system last season, and now we need to build on it."
Quiambao enjoyed a sensational rookie campaign in the KBL, averaging 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals while making 2.1 3-pointers per game. His outstanding all-around play earned him the league's Rookie of the Year award and helped guide Sono to its first-ever appearance in the KBL Championship Finals.
With success has come greater expectations, but Quiambao isn't allowing outside attention to change his approach.
"I'm grateful that I get to continue my career with Sono," he said. "Even though this is only a preseason game, so many fans came out to support us. Of course, if we keep winning, more people will follow us. But becoming champions isn't easy. There will be many challenges ahead, so we have to stay humble and keep a serious mindset if we want to achieve our goal."
Opposing defenses are expected to focus far more attention on Quiambao this season after his breakout rookie year, but he views that as another opportunity for growth.
"The more attention and pressure I receive, the harder I have to work," Quiambao said. "I have to trust myself even more. Nobody knows my strengths and weaknesses better than I do, so I just have to stay prepared."
As Sono begins another championship pursuit, Quiambao's offseason may be packed with national team duties and international travel, but his philosophy remains simple: stay humble, keep improving, and be ready for whatever comes next.
Written and Photographed by Shin Sang-min
This English version has been reviewed with AI assistance.
[저작권자ⓒ 점프볼. 무단전재-재배포 금지]
