How Luis Pablo Stayed Locked In

In a game filled with emotion, pressure, and high stakes, Luis Pablo, now in his first season as a De La Salle Green Archer, showed exactly why he has become one of the team’s most reliable young players. Not through scoring bursts or headline plays, but through presence, discipline, and defense when it matters most.

Facing UP, the school he once represented, could have easily turned into a personal battle. A reason to show who he is, but for Luis, it was never about proving anything to his past. It was about showing up for his present and doing what the team needed in the moment.

Heading into the fourth quarter, with UP holding the advantage and momentum constantly shifting, Pablo locked in on what mattered most.

Luis was cold, calm, and collected. If Lightning McQueen kept saying “I am speed,” Pablo had one thing that kept repeating in his head and that was “Focus on our stops.” That’s it. No noise, no distractions, just the next defensive possession.

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“Yeah, I guess to focus on our stops, which the coaches mentioned heading into the 4th quarter that we really have to value every possession and make a stop.”

That’s the mindset. No dramatic speech. No inner monologue worthy of a teleserye. Just defense. The coaches reminded the team to value every possession, and Luis locked in. Simple, direct, and very La Salle. The result showed itself in the small things: contested shots, timely help, and stops that shifted the game late.

Many expected the storyline to center on his emotions toward his former school, but Pablo immediately shut that down. When asked if beating UP gave him extra motivation, he answered with honesty and maturity:

“To be honest, I don’t really think about that. My mindset is on how will I help the team to win every game and how will I fulfill my role that Coach Topex gave me. That’s my only mindset.”

Still, he acknowledges that completely removing emotions isn’t always easy, especially in a game layered with history.

“Obviously, there are times that it’s hard to avoid to think about that stuff but I really challenge myself to focus on the things that really matter.”

As the game tightened, doubts could’ve crept in. The lead changed hands, pressure mounted, and every possession felt heavier than the last. But for Pablo, belief never wavered. He kept his cold, unfazed presence on the court, creating disruption, forcing mistakes, and trusting the system around him.

“To be honest, no doubts because I know that everyone from the team wants to win and you know when everyone’s on the same page, we’re really deadly as a team. I never doubted our capabilities and I know that God was with us for this game.”

The night before the match, Pablo was taking extra shots with some of his teammates. For him, that wasn’t superstition or nerves. It was routine. The kind of quiet work that rarely shows up on the stat sheet but defines consistency over a season.

“Obviously, as players, I really want to do extra work because the times that you do extra work, that’s what really will separate you from the rest.”

He added how Coach Topex shapes their team mindset, especially for a group that relies on buy-in more than individual heroics:

“You have to really separate yourself from the pack. You have to really do those extra things and extra effort in order to achieve success and really help your team.”

In his first season with La Salle, Luis Pablo is proving himself not through dramatic narratives or emotional revenge, but through effort, discipline, and consistency. He plays with a maturity that shows in his defensive assignments, his willingness to take on tough matchups, and his trust in the team’s identity.

With his calm focus and relentless work ethic, Pablo isn’t just adjusting to life as a Green Archer. He’s becoming one of the reasons La Salle keeps moving forward.

A new jersey, a new chapter, and Luis Pablo is making it count.