Jason Perkins: The hefty lefty

In sports, aspiring athletes try to emulate the moves of those they look up to. Basketball players try to copy Kobe Bryant’s isolation moves, hoping to apply them in their own clutch moments or they try to imitate Kevin Durant’s impeccable work ethic to their own routines hoping to reach the heights he has achieved at such a young age.

The emulation goes on and on, and when these athletes succeed in the repetition, they tend to make it part of their own repertoire and at times, it becomes a part of their own calling card on the court.

Jason Perkins, one of La Salle’s newest recruits, brings his physical brand of play to the table, something he gets from two of his most favorite NBA players: Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Zach Randolph from the Memphis Grizzlies.

“I’m not really that fast, I can’t jump that high,” the humble Perkins says. “I’m not that athletic so I just rely on my body.”

Lofty comparisons

Z-Bo, as Randolph is often called, and the young Perkins have a lot more in common than one might think. Both are left handed, and are not the most athletic players on their team and despite their lack of leaping ability, both have a nose for the ball. Their ability to seemingly predict where the rebound will land more than makes up for whatever advantage the Dwight Howards – or in Perkins’ case, the Karim Abduls – have on them.

“It’s pretty crazy because Z-Bo’s a really good player, I look up to him and he’s one of my favorite NBA players,” Perkins adds. “To be compared to someone like him is pretty cool, but I don’t think my numbers are anywhere near Z-Bo’s.”

Perkins’ game is also reminiscent of the rebounding machine Love, but what makes the comparison unique is that both represent the city of Minnesota; the former hails from the Twin Lake state, while the latter is the centerpiece of the state’s NBA franchise.

“He (Love) really helps out [with the rebounds for his team],” says the Minnesota native. As simple as it sounds, helping out goes a long way, and in Perkins case, it might as well be the factor that would help the Green Archers get to the top of the league.

Making a difference

In one play, he boxes out his taller and more athletic opponent, yet he caroms the rebound with ease. Fast forward to another possession, he corrals a long rebound and throws a long outlet pass, one that the La Salle guards more often than not catch and finish with a lay-up on the other end. During the Green Archers’ impressive run throughout the Fil-Oil Flying V Preseason Premiere Cup, Perkins has been nothing but impressive, drawing praise especially from head coach Gee Abanilla.

“Jason [Perkins] is a very versatile player and he can work the ball inside and outside,” says coach Abanilla after Perkins posted 20 points and 11 rebounds in DLSU’s lopsided win over EAC. “He has a shot, he has a post game and he just has to get accustomed to how it is here.”

For La Salle fans, this has to be something exciting. Message boards and social networks have come alive now that Perkins is eligible to play, not only in the Fil Oil Flying V Premier Cup but also in the UAAP. Perkins himself is excited to play against one particular UAAP player, one that may not be at the top of your typical list of top players.

“I’m excited to play NU,” Jason said. “He didn’t play [last year in the UAAP] but his name is Alfred [Aroga]. Yeah, I’m really excited to play them. I played against him in The Fr. Martin [Cup]. He gave me a good workout, pretty tough, but I want to see him in the UAAP.”

Looking at the bigger picture, the versatile Perkins is already part of not only a talented crop of Green and White rookies but a deep La Salle squad that is poised to contend for the UAAP Men’s Basketball Championship. Yet with Yutien Andrada’s season-ending knee injury, their mettle will be tested with everyone now focusing on their roles to make up for their senior’s absence.

Great things ahead

Usually, basketball players tend to emulate exciting moves like an acrobatic lay-up, a thunderous dunk, or a risky three thirty feet away from the basket. These are the plays that bring the crowd to their feet and leave them amazed. Sadly, these often make young players forget about the fundamentals of the game and those moves that may not be particularly flashy but get the job done quietly.

Ever since his dad gave him a basketball at a young age, Jason Perkins has been doing what he does best, which is playing simple yet efficient basketball. Despite all of the pressure that comes with playing on one of the UAAP’s marquee teams, he knows what he can do to take the Green Archers back to championship glory.

“People tell me stuff [and they’re] trying to make me feel like they have high expectations,” says the soft-spoken big man, “But I think if I just go out there and play my game I’ll be fine so I’ll just go out there and play basketball.”

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Jason Perkins writes a monthly journal for The LaSallian

Read the first release of Perkins’ journal here:

http://thelasallian.com/2013/07/10/green-journal-jason-perkins-v-1/

The second part of Perkins’ journal follows here:

http://thelasallian.com/2013/08/02/green-journal-jason-perkins-v-2/ 

Check out the third edition of his journal here:

http://thelasallian.com/2013/09/12/green-journal-jason-perkins-v-3/