After several years of playing overseas, Avery Scharer is now looking to settle in the Philippines for good, as his sights are now locked in to the 2018 PBA Draft.
The Filipino-American cager, who’s already 32 years old, confessed to the desire as he is currently in town to play for the newly-formed iECO Green Warriors in the Asia League’s Terrific 12 starting on September 18 in Macau.
“Yeah! I’ve talked to my agent last week, and he was telling me that December 14, there might be some things going on,” Scharer gladly told Tiebreaker Times.
Scharer has long been expected to come and play in the Philippines by those who have watched him play for the Westports Malaysia Dragons in the ASEAN Basketball League. But it is only now that it might come into fruition.
Little do people know that Scharer actually had a chance to play here years ago. The athletic 6-foot-2 guard was picked fifth overall by the Wang’s Basketball Couriers in the PBA D-League Draft, but he never suited up for them.
“I was very excited, very happy, but from there I didn’t know anything other than that. They didn’t contact me. They just, I guess, held my rights. I just know they drafted me and then that’s it. Nobody contacted me,” shared the six-year pro.
“I wanted to go and compete, and be there and show them that picking me was a right move and they will never regret it. But at the same time I understand that it’s a business, and that things happen.”
But the past is past, as they say, and for Scharer, it’s all about focusing on what’s in front of him. Playing for the Green Warriors marks his very first time to represent the country, and he’s thrilled for the opportunity.
“It feels amazing. I’ve been wanting to do this for a very, very long time,” he said.
“God always puts us in a position to succeed, and I think this is a position that He put me in. I don’t know if I was ready before, but now I feel like a lot better to take advantage of this opportunity to play for the motherland.”
This is not just an ordinary opportunity for the one-time Thailand Basketball Super League champion with Hi-Tec City. For Scharer, this Macau stint is also a chance for him to be known by many, especially by the PBA ball clubs.
“My job right now is to play for this team and to play my best basketball, so that everything can fall in line,” said Scharer, who traces his roots to La Union.
“Because, maybe, two or three or four more teams are gonna be interested.”
