Top Gilas cager Dwight Ramos won’t be suiting up for the Ateneo Blue Eagles on his final year in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Instead, the 6’4” Ramos made a decision to turn professional and has signed up with B.League Division I team Toyama Grouses.
Ramos said the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has somehow influenced his decision.
“I would have loved to officially play for the Blue Eagles and wear that blue and white and get the whole Ateneo experience especially playing for the UAAP.
However, due to the circumstances surrounding the pandemic presently and in the foreseeable future, I have decided to take my next step in growth as a person and as an athlete,” said Ramos to his fans on Instragram.
This makes Ramos the eighth Filipino to join the B.League.
The others are Thirdy Ravena (San-En NeoPhoenix), Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakestars), Juan Gomez de Liaño (Earthfriends Tokyo Z), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), Javi Gomez de Liaño (Ibaraki Robots), Kemark Carino (Aomori Wat’s) and Kobe Paras (Niigata Albirex BB).
The team is coached by Honoo Hamaguchi and with former Philippine Basketball Association import Joshua Smith as one of its reinforcements.
Toyama’s second import is Julian Mavunga, a Zimbabwean-American, who averaged 20.7 points, 7.4 assists and 7.3 rebounds in the B.League.
Toyama finished fourth in the East District with a 43-16 record in the previous season, losing to Ryukyu in the quarterfinals.