Raymar Jose had a crazy 2016-17 campaign
For one whole year, Raymar Jose played literally the entire basketball circuit.
Early in 2016, the burly big man played for the Phoenix-FEU Accelerators in the PBA D-League, helping the team win the Aspirants Cup. Immediately right after the conference, Jose went back to the Far Eastern University, as they joined the 2016 Filoil Flying V Premier Cup. All the while, the FEU captain moonlighted for the cadets team that won the 2016 SEABA Championship in Thailand.
After a brief rest, the 23-year-old went back to being a full-time student-athlete, leading the FEU Tamaraws to a third place finish in the UAAP. When the Tamaraws were eliminated by the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles last November, he was then tapped by the Kaohsiung Truth to be their ASEAN Heritage import.
For three straight months, Jose battled with giants on a weekly basis while also battling homesickness and the fatigue of travelling from country to country. In short, Jose lived like a typical OFW as he tried to save up as much as he can until he comes right back home.
But Jose is not regretting anything, noting that this experience helped him mature both as a player and as a person.
“Masasabi ko dito malaking bagay sakin yung experience kasi mga nakakalaban iba’t ibang nation, mga import,” Jose said after the Truth ended their maiden campaign last Sunday. “Tapos siyempre mga tao dito di mo naman kilala masyado tapos makikisama sa kanila. Kailangan mo mag adjust sa mga ugali nila sa practice.”
All throughout this journey, the product of the FEU basketball program has always kept in mind the lessons taught to him by now-TNT Katropa head coach Nash Racela.
“Ginagawa ko lagi yung sinasabi ni coach Nash na kailangan ready lang kami lagi kahit anong mangyari,” the native of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental added.
During this campaign, Jose posted norms of 10.81 points and 4.69 rebounds in 21 minutes of action. And he was able to pick up these numbers against players that are at least four inches taller than him.
With this experience under his belt, he is hoping that this helps boost his draft stock in the upcoming 2017 PBA Draft. But for now, the only thing that is on his mind is to get back home and finally get some rest.
“As of now paguwi ko, pahinga muna kasi simula last year tuloy tuloy ako.
“Pahinga muna tapos maghahanap ng team sa D-League,” he concluded.
And Raymar Jose can finally rest in his own bed while enjoying the fruits of his labor.
Cover photo from ASEAN Basketball League
