The 2023-24 collegiate season witnessed two friends conquering their respective leagues.
A few months after Topex Robinson guided La Salle to the UAAP championship, his good pal Jeff Perlas overcame numerous obstacles before steering Centro Escolar University to the top of the UCAL.
And Robinson couldn’t help but be proud of Perlas, not just for having a team of his own but also for leading a team to the pinnacle.
“I always saw the fire in Coach Jeff. His journey from assistant to head coach was written in the stars,” shared Robinson. “Now, as he leads the charge for CEU, he proves not just his capability but his innate leadership.
“Proud doesn’t begin to describe it. He’s not just coaching a team; he’s shaping a legacy.”
The tale of the current batch of Scorpions has been written numerous times.
From losing its key players even before he got warm in his seat to injuries hampering the first round of their campaign, Perlas had his work cut out for him.
Still, he and the rest of CEU persevered, eventually finding their footing en route to giving the school a back-to-back in the upstart league.
Perlas shared that it’s because he was able to earn the trust of the Scorpions due to the ethos he and Robinson used at Lyceum.
“Our basketball program stands on the pillars of love, serve, and care. It’s more than just wins and losses; it’s about nurturing character and community,” he said.
“These values, forged alongside Coach Topex at Lyceum, remain the bedrock of our philosophy in CEU and La Salle.”
Now, the two will meet again.
CEU and La Salle will face off in the best-of-three title showdown of the PBA D-League.
Robinson will cherish each moment of the game as it is something the two have been dreaming of since working together at Xavier School in 2012.
“Coach Jeff once likened our partnership to Batman and Robin, but I see it differently. We were not just a dynamic duo; our partnership was more akin to Batman and Superman,” he said.
