Brothers Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño are as tight as they come.
Both had a chance to play together at University of the Philippines and with Gilas Pilipinas.
Now, they get to live in Japan together, albeit while playing for different teams. Juan has signed with B.League Division 2 team Earth Friends Tokyo Z. On the other hand, Javi was tapped as the Asian Quota player of Division I squad Ibaraki Robots.
For the two brothers, it is a dream come true to play professional basketball overseas.
“We’re both extremely happy. This is a big step to chasing our dreams playing abroad,” said Javi, who is 15 months older than Juan.
“I’m very happy that he’ll also be going to play in Japan. He’s always been ready for new challenges,” expressed Juan.
Both Javi and Juan have huge responsibilities on their shoulders once they play for their respective teams.
Tokyo Z is a team that is looking to bounce back from its dismal seventh-place finish in the East last season.
For Javi, he knows that the 6-foot-1 combo guard has what it takes to lead Earth Friends.
“I’m expecting Juan to be a great leader for his team. That’s always been his specialty,” shared Javi.
“He makes everyone better on the court.”
On the other hand, Ibaraki wants to make a strong debut in Division 1. And all throughout the off-season, the Robots have been looking for a big guard to boost their backcourt.
And Juan is confident that the 6-foot-5 shooting guard is their guy.
“I can’t wait for him to showcase his talent, leadership, and his full potential.”
The B.League season is a long eight-month grind.
Usually, games take place on weekends, with teams playing back-to-back games. Moreover, there will be plenty of traveling since the league follows a home-and-away format.
The two brothers vow that they will see each other during their free time,though. Ibaraki is just a train ride away from Tokyo.
“He’s going to stay in Ibaraki, which is an hour and a half drive away from Ota, Tokyo. So if we have free time during the weekends, we definitely can chop it up and do whatever,” gushed Juan.
