Joph Cleopas has been in the coaching scene for quite a while now, starting his career as a strength and conditioning coach for other schools.
However, it was his stint with the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA juniors basketball team that proved to be his biggest break as he steered the Junior Altas to its first finals appearance.
Despite falling to the Letran Squires in the best-of-three finals, Cleopas said he is coaching for a bigger purpose.
"It's not all about winning. It's to glorify Him," Cleopas said after their Game 3 loss.
"I promised to Him, whatever the result is, I will glorify Him."
The Perpetual coach has always been open about his faith and shared that prayer was one of his main weapons in his battle.
"That's my mission sa pagiging coach — makilala si God and when you receive Jesus Christ, you will surely go to heaven. That's a true champion in Christ," he said.
"'Yun 'yung pinakagusto kong sabihin kung nanalo kami. Hindi namin nakuha, but I'll still glorify God."
[That's my mission in being a coach — to make God known and when you receive Jesus Christ, you will surely go to heaven. That's a true champion in Christ... That's what I really wanted to say if we won. We weren't able to win, but I'll still glorify God.]
The Junior Altas' runner-up finish was surely a historic one for the Las Piñas crew, and Cleopas hopes to run it back again.
"This is already a blessing. Nobody believes in us, the school believes in us, but we're underdogs. No one knows na Perpetual pala sa finals," Cleopas said.
"We will continue to give our best and by God's will, we want to go back."
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
