Phoenix dedicates dramatic playoff win to typhoon victims

FILE – Phoenix Fuel Masters head coach Topex Robinson.

MANILA, Philippines — Phoenix head coach Topex Robinson has long been an inspirational figure for his players even when he was still coaching in the collegiate ranks. And now he hopes his team’s exploits could also lift up the spirits of those who just survived one of the strongest typhoons this year.

Robinson and the Fuel Masters dedicated their spirited 89-88 win over Magnolia in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals and he hoped that the victory served its humble purpose of bringing joy, even a measly amount, to those who overcame Typhoon Ulysses.

“One of the things that we discussed during the huddle before the game was joy,” said Robinson Saturday at Angeles University Foundation. “That’s one of the pillars of our program, and we always tell them, we bring joy to the people who were affected by the typhoon.”

He added that it doesn’t matter which team you support, the most important thing for them is to give the basketball-watching community something to be excited about in the gloom that Ulysses brought.

“What’s important for us is we’re gonna bring joy and hope to the people that watch the games, and we just showed it right there.”

Ulysses submerged much of Metro Manila and also lashed out at different parts of Luzon in what is seen as one of the bigger environmental disasters this year.

The typhoon, which made landfall on the Luzon landmass Thursday, affected 285,978 families or 1,110,910 individuals and displaced 80,858 families or 306,340 persons into evacuation centers, as per data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“We just want to be resilient. You’re gonna go through tough times, just don’t quit, persevere. I hope we inspired a lot of people tonight with the way that we played and communicated,” said Robinson.

“Hopefully, the Philippines rises from this. I know there are going to be a lot of challenges ahead, but let’s just hang on together.”