By ADRIAN STEWART CO

University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres will use the alleged spitting controversy with De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers head coach Michael “Topex” Robinson as motivation in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals.

According to the Negrense guard, the incident will now be just an inspiration for him to guide UP against the defending champions DLSU in their best-of-three titular showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum beginning on December 8.

“Magiging motivation na lang ‘yun. Dadalhin ko siya pero hindi na siya gaano kabigat para sa akin kasi kailangan ako ng team para maging isa kami,” Torres said in an interview with Tiebreaker Times.

Robinson faced backlash after a video appeared to show him spitting at Torres during the Green Archers’ 68-56 victory over the Fighting Maroons in the first round of the eliminations.

The Fighting Maroons filed a protest with UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag regarding the incident, submitting video evidence of the alleged spitting, but the league opted to just hand “a stern formal warning” against Torres and Robinson.

This is the second straight year that the two universities are facing each other for the UAAP crown after the Green Archers defeated the Fighting Maroons in the Season 86 finals./ASC, WDJ