Jason Perkins returning to La Salle for Season 79

MANILA, Philippines – Former UAAP Mythical Team big man Jason Perkins has confirmed that he is returning to play another season of college basketball in 2016, UAAP Season 79, for the De La Salle Green Archers on Sunday, May 29.

Perkins, who will come back for a fourth season with the Green Archers, played a huge role in steering La Salle to a UAAP title back in 2013, and has remained as one of the best players in college hoops since.

“Pretty much for school,” Perkins said about his return to the team, determined to finish his degree in the university.

Perkins was the first pick of the 2015 PBA D-League Draft for Caida, but will not play for the team in the upcoming Foundation Cup.

“I’ve decided to finish my last playing year with La Salle,” Perkins said via a statement released by his agent shortly after confirming the development to Rappler. 

“Before I came to Manila, I promised my mom I would graduate and I want to make her happy. La Salle has been very loyal to me and I want to show them my loyalty as well. In my rookie year, we won a championship and I want to end on another championship.”

Perkins will play his first season under new head coach Aldin Ayo. 

“I’ve been watching some of La Salle’s games and actually I watched Coach Ayo’s team play in Letran last year,” Perkins told Rappler via phone, also adding that he learned a lot about the system from his D-League teammate, Rey Nambatac, who played under Ayo for Letran last NCAA season.

“So I’m pretty familiar with it and I’m pretty excited.”

The 6-foot-3 big man is coming off a down year in 2015 where he averaged single digits in scoring and rebounding, but throughout his college career, he’s put up 10.4 points and 10.2 rebounds a game.

Perkins joins an already-loaded La Salle roster that will have Cameroonian big man Ben Mbala, a returning Jeron Teng and Andrei Caracut, and others.

“I think we have all the components,” he said about La Salle’s chances of winning a title. – Rappler.com