Razon Reminds DLSU to Start from Zero at Solaire Gathering
The De La Salle Green Archers recently reunited with longtime patron Enrique K. Razon Jr. for lunch at Solaire, with the gathering reinforcing a familiar message: past championships offer no guarantees for the season ahead.
Head coach Topex Robinson, who sat with Razon during the meal, said the opportunity to spend time with the businessman remains meaningful for the team.
“It’s always a memorable experience every time the team gets the opportunity to spend time with our patron and supporter. He always reminds us how important it is to approach each season with laser focus and a commitment to getting better every day, knowing that every team will always bring out their best against us,” Robinson told me in an exclusive interview.
According to other sources familiar with the gathering, Razon greeted the players upon arriving and joined them for photographs. A team manager also presented the roster, reviewed statistics from the previous championship campaign, and outlined areas requiring improvement, including how La Salle could compensate for departing players.
DLSU has not won consecutive UAAP men’s basketball titles since 2001.
There was no lengthy speech. Razon congratulated the group and indicated that, as champions, they already understood what winning required. The task now was to begin again from zero.
“More than anything, his message was about keeping that sense of urgency, hunger, and determination. What we’ve accomplished before doesn’t guarantee us anything this season. We have to continue earning it and proving ourselves every day,” Robinson said.
Razon also acknowledged the team’s two championships in Robinson’s first three seasons, a stretch that included three consecutive UAAP Finals appearances against the University of the Philippines. La Salle won in 2023 and 2025, with a runner-up finish in between.
His competitive streak still surfaced. According to a source, Razon remarked that finishing second meant being the first loser, before jokingly encouraging the team: “Let’s go for 6 [championships]!”
The lunch continued a pattern of gatherings between Razon and the basketball program. Before Season 86 in 2023, he challenged the Archers to win the championship and made their next shared meal conditional on bringing home the title. He subsequently hosted the team after its Finals victory over UP.
At another Solaire lunch before Season 87 in 2024, Razon urged La Salle to retain the mentality of hunters despite entering the tournament as defending champions.
His relationship with Lasallian sports extends beyond these meals. Alongside ICTSI’s backing of the Green Archers, Razon has supported athletic scholarships and university sports facilities. The Enrique M. Razon Sports Center on the Manila campus is named after his father, a La Salle alumnus and athlete.
The DLSU women’s volleyball team also previously visited Razon following its latest UAAP championship, adding another occasion for the university’s athletes to share their success with their supporter.
