FROM LETRAN TO RAIN OR SHINE
Though Letran’s Season 89 campaign in the NCAA is still to end, coach Caloy Garcia and big man Raymond Almazan are already salivating on the future, more so now that the reed-thin center from Bataan has become a part of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Picked third in the Rookie Draft Sunday, Almazan said that his transition from college ball to the pros won’t be that difficult.
“Para sa akin, madadalian ako sa paglipat sa PBA kasi yung sistema ni coach Caloy (sa Letran) ay parang same din sa sistema ni coach Yeng (Guiao),” he said. “Hindi rin ako mahihirapan mag-adjust.”
Garcia, who also serves as an assistant coach in Rain or Shine, is full of praises for Almazan.
“One year of handling him in Letran, we really run the same system so he just needs to adjust more on his weight, get more muscle and work on his offensive skills. But defensively, I think he is capable of playing in the PBA,” Garcia said. “That’s one thing coach Yeng said, that Raymond really needs to get more muscle and weight because he’s only at 194 pounds. So at least, kahit mga 215 (pounds), pwede na siguro yun.”
During the Draft, Beau Belga, one-half of the famed Extra Rice, Inc. of Rain or Shine, already gave Almazan a taste of what’s to come as he made the rookie eat a stick of barbecue, in hopes that the added food intake will take the 24-year-old in the same body built as those Rain or Shine paint defenders.
When asked if he lobbied for his prized collegiate star, Garcia said that it was already a given that the E-Painters will pick Almazan.
“I think the top three best big men were the top three picks. From those three, kung sino pa ang available, yun talaga ang kukunin namin. We already knew that Ginebra’s going to get (Greg) Slaughter, and San Mig will get (Ian) Sangalang, so alam na namin na si Almazan yung makukuha namin,” Garcia said.
“I’m happy that he’s going to be a part of the team.” (RLeongson)
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