LA SALLE's sideline is secured for the foreseeable future now that Topex Robinson has inked a three-year extension with the Green Archers.
With one championship and two finals appearances under his belt, Robinson more than proved he was exactly what the green-and-white needed to get back to the mountaintop.
“Our challenge is we know that there are a lot of La Salle championship teams before us,” he told SPIN.ph.
“There's no question the success of that program, and we're just so honored and blessed to continue what the La Salle teams that came before us built.”
Before the always-amiable mentor's arrival, Taft Ave. last celebrated a championship in 2016 when Aldin Ayo, Ben Mbala, and Jeron Teng still stood at the forefront.
In Robinson's first season as shot-caller in 2024, La Salle finally won it all once more.
Outside of title talks, though, the once-pesky guard in the PBA has also ensured his players would find easier transitions to the pros.
“We've set a long vision for this since I started with Evan Nelle, Mark Nonoy, Joaqui Manuel. We're not just talking about basketball, you know, we've built something for their careers as well, outside of basketball,” he added.
Indeed, through the likes of Kevin Quiambao, Nelle and Nonoy, Robinson has created a sustainable winning program that launches careers in the PBA - and even, hopefully, the NBA, as well.
READ: Hard work continues as Quiambao still waiting on NBA offers
As he put it, “Now, we're trying to plant also the seeds of the next trailblazers that will breed championships.”
“It’s just a list of guys that we're trying to build a winning culture with. And we want also the guys that's going to come into our program knowing the responsibility of representing DLSU basketball.”
Topex from the top-down
A big box on his checklist is to strengthen the connection among La Salle basketball teams - from De La Salle Zobel in the UAAP to Benilde and La Salle Green Hills in the NCAA.
“A lot is in store for us in making sure that we really build this green program for us. When you talk about La Salle basketball, you talk about excellence,” he said.
As the Green Archers are already-loaded with new talents such as Kean Baclaan, Jacob Cortez, Mason Amos, Luis Pablo, and Lebron Daep for Season 88, Robinson is not about to rest on his laurels in executing and ensuring his long-term plan.
And with a fresh three-year extension already in the bag, he himself is on track to become La Salle's longest-serving coach since Franz Pumaren.
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