A MONTH after the UST Growling Tigers’ 80-75 first round win against the DLSU Green Archers, a footage of Archers head coach Topex Robinson allegedly tripping Tigers rookie Charles Esteban resurfaced online.
In a clip accompanying a Reddit post that circulated last Oct. 17, Robinson appeared to extend his leg to a running Esteban after the Thomasian wing knocked-down an outside shot at the three-minute mark of the third quarter.
Esteban said he was not harmed and was focused on playing the game that time.
“Nothing happened to me so I don’t mind, we eventually moved-on cause we are leading in that game,” the rookie told The Flame.
“Baka hinila niya rin (‘yung paa niya), baka hindi niya tinuloy, hindi rin natin alam,” he added.
(Maybe he also pulled his feet away or held back, we don’t really know.)
The former Tiger Cub said no one among his teammates, his La Salle opponents, the coaching staff and the referees noticed such an incident during the game itself.
“People only noticed it in the after-game highlights and in the video clip itself, that is only when it really blew up,” Esteban said.
“Kung tumama ‘yun (sa akin), siguro doon talaga (lalaki ‘yung issue),” he added.
(If that landed to me, the issue would be blown out of proportion)
Although he is not attributing any wrongdoing to Robinson, Esteban said the coach has not yet reached out to him about the issue.
Rookie Esteban scored nine points and shot 4-of-5 in his second game as a Growling Tiger, also UST’s first win in Season 89. F
