After fruitful La Salle career, Perkins takes up San Beda offer
Jason Perkins. PBA IMAGES
It’s funny how fate worked for Jason Perkins.
He was recruited by San Beda from Shakopee, Minnesota but ultimately decided to go to La Salle, and now the 24-year-old forward has found himself playing for Cignal-San Beda in the 2017 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup.
“It’s kind of ironic. I did not expect that I’ll get a chance to play for them,” he said.
Perkins shared that he almost left the game for good after the Green Archers won the UAAP Season 79 championship in his senior season last year.
That was until San Beda came back knocking on his doors again.
“I thought I was done but the game keeps calling me back. I can’t stay away from the game,” he said.
Though still recovering from leg and back injuries that kept him at bay for the past year, Perkins is showing what he can do with the Hawkeyes.
The 6-foot-3 forward played his best game to date on Monday, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 clip from the field to finish with 14 points and eight rebounds in Cignal’s 88-74 win over Cafe France.
Asked how he’s adjusting to the new system, Perkins said it’s been nothing but great.
“I like the way coach Boyet (Fernandez) runs his offense as well as his defense,” he said. “It’s a great group of guys who are very unselfish. I’m very familiar with a lot of them and it’s good to see (Robert) Bolick. Everybody is fun to be with, like Davon (Potts), Radge (Tongco), and Byron (Villarias).”
With a renewed sense of motivation, Perkins wants to repay the faith given to him by San Beda by helping them nab the D-League title.
“I just want to help them win every game. We’re taking it one game at a time, but first, I have to get healthy,” he said.
Despite having to choose one over the other years back, Perkins eventually had “the best of both worlds” with La Salle and San Beda.
“It’s pretty ironic to end up here in San Beda and playing with these guys. It’s nice to know that if I had gone to San Beda, it would’ve been a good decision too since I could’ve won four championships. But I can’t regret two championships in La Salle. I just can’t turn that down. But if I had a second option, it would be San Beda.”
