UAAP: La Salle’s Topex Robinson says new eligibility rules ‘unfair’

La Salle coach Topex Robinson during the UAAP Season 87 press conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — La Salle coach Topex Robinson thinks the new UAAP eligibility rules are unfair.

The league recently approved that a transferee from one UAAP member school to another will now require a one-year residency and will also be deducted one playing year.

“At the end of the day, I will abide by what the higher-ups would decide on but as a person and not representing anybody, I guess it’s unfair for a human being,” Robinson told reporters in the UAAP Season 87 press conference on Wednesday at Novotel Hotel. “To have the freedom to choose, not only where his basketball will take him but also for his higher education. In that way magdadalawang isip ang isang atleta, or isang tao, or isang bata na mag-iba ng desisyon and at a very early age, get him out of high school, they really don’t know kung ano yung gusto nila sa buhay.”

READ: UAAP transferees now lose 2 years of eligibility under new rules

Saguisag on why they changed the transfer rules. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/Z6GQcOWreI

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“Just like ako, when I came to college, I enrolled or I stayed on a course na after a few semesters hindi pala yun yung gusto ko. So now, I mean, yun lang yung mawawala which is really important. I think, ang sa akin is yung education, yun yung I think what is being deprived of not ano kasi magdadalawang isip eh,” he added.

During the offseason, La Salle acquired three key transferees after winning the Season 86 championship. Former National University guard Kean Baclaan and Ex-San Beda star Jacob Cortez took their talents to Taft but were not affected by the new rule as they transferred in the second semester of the previous school year.

Mason Amos, who transferred from Ateneo to La Salle and enrolled for the first term of the academic year 2024-25, will have at least two years to play for the Green Archers next year but if he decides to suit up for his final UAAP season, it will be up for debate. 

“Again, at the end of the day, I will abide by the rules but me as a human being , it’s taking away the freedom of another human being to choose what kind of a life that he wants because mababawas yung choice mo to get a degree,” Robinson said. “Again, that’s just me as a person and not representing an institution so para sakin, it’s unfair para sa isang bata na mawalan ng freedom na pumili because of limitations na binigay sa atin.”

University of the Philippines coach Goldwin Monteverde, Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin, and Far Eastern University coach Sean Chambers agreed to abide by the new rules, too.

“Sa akin, I’m sure it’s well thought of yung board of managing directors and sigurado naman napag-isipan nilang mabuti yan bago gawin yung decision na yun. Kami, we’ll just abide kung anuman ang rules ni UAAP,” said Monteverde, who acquired Rey Remogat after transferring from University of the East to UP.

READ: UAAP: Mason Amos leaves Ateneo amid reported La Salle transfer

Baldwin, who lost Amos and Kobe Demisana who transferred to Adamson, said “it’s an admin thing and it doesn’t concern him as a coach.”

“We’ll see how it plays out,” the four-time UAAP champion coach said. “I think maybe the accumulative effect of several transfers and some of them being relatively high profile. As boss Rebo said, you know, it was probably a part of the rationale behind it. I think his answer to the question is the definitive answer. It made sense. I think, that’s the story, really.”

The Kiwi-American tactician, though added, that it won’t add parity to the level of competition. 

“I don’t think it will affect play at all. I think it will affect player movements to some degree but that remains to be seen.”

Chambers, who is set for his UAAP coaching debut, said he understands the reason why the UAAP decided to tweak its eligibility rule.

“I think if you’re going to stay stronger together and be better together, I think there has to be a way to try to keep purity within the league. If we’re going to lose that purity, we’re only going to have the same kind of winner. The beauty of the UAAP is that, since I’ve been watching it, UST won, FEU won, Adamson won, NU won. So everybody, if you have the right year, the right season, everybody has an opportunity to be successful,” he said.

“I’m in agreement with the rule, because I think together, they were protecting all the universities as well as a student-athlete to work. I’m not sure how much it’s going to impact the game, but I think I see why they did it, I see why they created it.”