Rabeh Al-Hussaini couldn’t be grateful enough that he has successfully made his way back into the Blackwater Elite rotation, following the lengthy absence due to personal problems that required his utmost attention.
The 6-foot-7 slotman out of Ateneo de Manila made his season debut Friday evening, when the Elite took on the Columbian Dyip. And he received a warm welcome on his return, as Blackwater gifted him with a 106-100 victory.
“Thankful talaga ako kay coach Bong to give me another shot, regardless kung ano man yung nangyari sa personal life ko,” confessed Al-Hussaini, who arrived at Blackwater back in May 2018 from NLEX Road Warriors.
“Happy to be back.”
It wasn’t just a simple comeback for Al-Hussaini though. He made his presence felt, especially inside, and he finished with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting alongside four rebounds in the 18 minutes and 18 seconds he played.
For the 30-year-old, it was all a result of his new approach to the game.
“I guess yung approach ko sa game, it’s more different than it used to be bago ako nawala. Bago ako nawala pati yung ngayon, sobrang iniba ko rin lahat. Yung small changes na yun, nakatulong din kaya medyo maayos yung pinakita ko.”
For Al-Hussaini, his time away from basketball has taught him many lessons. It also helped him become a better man. So now, with everything apparently settled, he’s back to business for Blackwater.
“The goal is to win as much as possible. Pero yun nga, may nangyari sa personal life ko na hindi ko inaasahan, so I had to take care of that first. It’s just a matter of overcoming whatever problems that I have. Okay naman ngayon,” he reflected.
“Little by little, the goal is to stay, prolong the career. Lesson learned sa’kin yung absence ko, it taught me me a lot about life.”
