Zark’s key to success: Topex knows best
Zark’s Burgers-Lyceum coach Topex Robinson has instilled the value of trust and helped his charges spread their wings and ascend to the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup throne.
“There’s no secret to our success. It’s just about loving and trusting each other,” said Zark’s Burgers-LPU coach Topex Robinson after steering the Jawbreakers to a 92-82 victory over the Che’Lu Bar and Grill-San Sebastian Revellers in sudden death at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig last Tuesday.
“You have to have that relationship with them. I wasn’t their coach anymore. I was just a dad hoping and praying they are going to give their best,” added Robinson.
And give their best, the Jawbreakers did.
They fumbled at the homestretch and lost Game One, 103-107, but turned to their defense to win Game Two, 98-90, and wiped out a 14-point third quarter deficit in the rubber match to fashion out the 10-point title-clinching victory.
The Jawbreakers, who ended up at sixth in the playoffs after struggling midway in the eliminations, thus became the lowest ranked squad to snare the title in the league.
And Robinson turned to his father-image to best exemplify his leadership, showing the Jawbreakers the way to victory through love and sacrifice.
“Instead of blaming them, I just have to encourage them. If you lose, it’s going to be my fault, nobody will be blamed. But if we win, it’s going to be yours. That’s the sacrifice of a leader, of a father. You have to give the credit to them and take all the responsibility,” said Robinson, sharing that when Jesper Ayaay committed a miscue at one point in the match, he simply reminded his ward that he loved him and Ayaay picked himself up and went on to collect 14 points, next to Cameroonian big man Mike Nzeusseu’s 28 and Perez’s 26.
It was indeed that familial bond that helped Zark’s Burgers-LPU pull through and complete its rise to the top.
“It taught us how to stay together because in so many games, we were down then we went up, but the main thing is we have to remain together, play together and help each other,” said Nzeusseu, who poured in 14 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter to anchor the Jawbreakers’ turnaround in Game Three.