Archers' Perkins off to a good start

De La Salle University’s prized rookie Jason Perkins is letting his efficient game do more of the talking.

Not as heralded as fellow freshmen Charles Mammie of University of the East and National University’s Alfred Aroga, the wide-bodied Perkins has proven he has what it takes, quickly emerging as a dangerous force in the paint for the Green Archers’ campaign in UAAP Season 76 men’s cage wars.

A Shakopee High School standout in Minnesota, USA who has completed his one-year residency last year, the 6-foot-3 Perkins gave a glimpse of what he can bring to La Salle in its convincing 96-84 win over stubborn University of the Philippines on Wednesday.

Perkins pumped in 12 of his team-high 20 markers in the second half, highlighted by eight straight points during the team’s telling 14-3 onslaught in the stretch that enabled La Salle to bounce back from an opening game loss while giving coach Juno Sauler his first victory since replacing Gee Abanilla, who is now set to call the shots for Petron Blaze in the pro ranks.

Overall, the power forward went 8-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe on top of 13 rebounds, six from the offensive end, plus a steal, assist and block each in 32 minutes of play.

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Nobody is prouder with Perkins’ sterling exploits than Sauler.

“He comes up big when we needed him. We have no play for him but he gives us the numbers (points) and rebounds. There’s nothing more that we can ask from Jason,” he said.

Eager to fill up the slack left by forward Yutien Andrada who was sidelined with an ACL injury, Perkins also had a decent league debut in La Salle’s painful 58-63 overtime defeat dealt by University of Santo Tomas last Saturday, tallying 13 points, nine rebounds and two steals spiked by the game-tying jumper that eventually forced an extra five-minute period.

Even star forward Jeron Teng, who also fired 20 points against the Fighting Maroons, was not surprised with the way Perkins is playing, saying: “We all know that he can really contribute to the team. Not only (in delivering) points, but also (in hauling down) rebounds.”

Perkins is expected to re-assert his dominance anew on Sunday when La Salle rekindles its storied rivalry with defending five-time champion but short-handed Ateneo at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.