Robinson gets 5-year extension as Lyceum coach, named basketball ops director

Topex Robinson’s transformation of Lyceum has been rewarded after the soft-spoken mentor inked a five-year contract extension with the Pirates while getting a new job with the school.

In a statement, Lyceum announced that Robinson would take the office of the newly created Director for Basketball Operations of the Lyceum of the Philippines University system.

Robinson, under his new position, will oversee the coaching staffs of all Lyceum basketball teams, both in the high school and college levels, across the system’s campuses in Manila, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, and Davao.

“It’s really such an honor and blessing to be given a chance to continue the vision of this program,” said Robinson whose extension will begin on Dec. 1, 2018. “It has impacted a lot, not just me, but all of the people that’s been supporting us and believing in us. I’m just honored and blessed to be given this opportunity.”

Robinson experienced the highs and lows during his tenure with the Pirates especially in Seasons 92 and 93 when they won a combined 10-26.

Those woeful seasons, however, were put to bed when the Pirates went on an undefeated 18-0 run in in the elimination round of Season 93.

Although the Pirates lost to San Beda in the finals, Robinson cemented a culture within Lyceum that had “love, serve, care” as its mantra.

“They had me at my worst and I always look at how people really took care of me, I always go back to my first two years when I was really struggling,” said Robinson whose Pirates ended Season 94 with a 15-3 record as the second seeds. “They took a chance on me. Why would I leave?”

“It’s about impacting lives. They just gave me more opportunity to touch the lives of their students and that’s something I’m really grateful for.”