By MARK REY MONTEJO
Centro Escolar University is pulling all the stops to ensure that its already successful basketball program is continuously improving. *American coach Don Kelbick (left) with the CEU Scorpions' head coach Jeff Perlas.*

CEU got the chance to pick up knowledge from international basketball coach Don Kelbick who conducted a week-long basketball training camp at the Scorpion Gym in Lumera Tower in Manila last week. Kelbick, who has been traveling to over 20 countries for almost 40 years, including stints in the NCAA Division I basketball, focused on footworks and player’s development during the camp. Scorpions new head coach Jeff Perlas reiterated his appreciation to the CEU management for investing in the team's development not only for the players but also for the betterment of coaching staff as well. “Actually it’s a welcomed opportunity for me, yung ginawa ng management [to] bring in somebody from another country just to really educate not just the players but especially us coaches. Kasi whatever that we’ve learned from coach Don will not stop,” Perlas during the team’s training on Friday, June 30. “Definitely, every year mapapalitan yung players, but yung concept, the philosophy won’t change.” he added. Coach Kelbick, who has also trained NBA players like Raja Bell and Carlos Arroyo and some European cagers, emphasized the importance of footworks and controlling the defense – a philosophy that the Perlas also wanted to instill to his team "Syempre we wanted to be a defensive team. We want to compliment that pressure defense with also a suffocating offense. It’s not just one way. Motion is very crucial and very important in our system,” said Perlas who also served as an assistant to Topex Robinson during their stint in LPU. “Siguro ayun ang naging identity namin with LPU. We want to make everything simple. We make a stop, go open court and find the open man, simple as that,” he added.