NEW Pirates coach Jeff Perlas has hit the ground running in what he described as a “dream come true.”
“Very excited for this opportunity to be able to coach in one of the most prestigious collegiate tournaments in the country,” Perlas told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday.
“It’s every coach’s dream to be in this position. No celebration because my work has just begun,” he added.
Perlas was tapped by Lyceum to replace Topex Robinson, who was named recently to replace Louie Alas in an interim capacity as coach of Phoenix in the pro league.
“The head coaching title will now be with coach Jeff Perlas,” Robinson announced last Saturday in the online edition of The Chasedown.
NCAA rules prohibit any coach in the league to call the shots in any pro league at the same time. Robinson remains with the Pirates as consultant.
Perlas, who served as Robinson’s lead deputy for the last five years, said his wards are looking forward to returning to training.
“With regards to the opening of the NCAA, we still haven’t heard from the ManCom as to when is the target date for the opening,” Perlas said.
“But the most important announcement that we are waiting for is the go signal for collegiate teams to resume training.”
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases green-lighted the collegiate league teams’ return to training last Sept. 7, pending the proper health and safety guidelines being crafted by the Commission on Higher Education.
Perlas, 43, a member of National University’s staff that bagged the UAAP crown in 2014 under coach Eric Altamirano, will bank on veterans Reymar Caduyac and Nino Ibanez.
“We still have Reymar Caduyac and Nino Ibañez. They are the remaining players from that Season 93 (18-0) batch,” he said.
“We expect them to be the voice of the team with the help of the other veterans like Renzo Navarro and Jayson David.”
