NO SUBSITUTE FOR HARD WORK
Hardly anyone knows it, but just three weeks before the start of PBA Season 40, Raymond Almazan still lay on a hospital bed.
The illness sidelined the sophomore for about a month, and brought down the lanky center’s weight from 205 pounds to 180 pounds.
Scampering to get in game shape before the start of the season, Almazan bulked up to near his playing weight.
And when the season opened, his hard work really paid off. Almazan has been making heads turn in Week 1 of the Philippine Cup, surprising even himself.
“Nagugulat din ako na ganun yung nilalaro ko, pero siguro pinagtrabahuan ko naman nung nagkasakit ako,” Almazan said, minutes after he scattered 17 points and cleared nine boards in Rain or Shine’s 82-75 win over Blackwater.
“Swerte rin kasi di nangyari yun during the season. Thankful ako na nakakarecover din ako,” he said.
The former Letran Knight also said that aside from his weight issues, he also had to up his game after he set a personal benchmark in his rookie season.
“Yung effort, dapat mas dagdagan ko kasi di na ako rookie ngayon. I’m still playing my role,” said Almazan.
He added, “Andun pa rin yung mga tinuturo ni coach Yeng (Guiao). Dapat lang buo ang loob mo pagpasok sa court, make good decisions at wag tatamad tamad. Basta tough ka lang sa loob, ok na sa kanya yun.”
But if there’s one thing on top of his to-do list, it is really his weight.
“Sa kin, alam ko kulang pa eh. Gusto ko umabot ako ng mga 215, 220 pounds, ganun.” (RL)
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