JERICHO Cruz won’t be the only player with Filipino blood who will be suiting up for Guam in the first window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
Fil-Am Isaiah Africano makes his debut with the Guam national team opposite Gilas Pilipinas when the two teams tangle on Nov. 28 at the University of Guam Calvo Field House.
The 6-foot-2 Africano is a close friend of former Rain or Shine player Nick Demussis and was actually here in the country two months ago when he applied for the PBA Season 50 draft.
Unfortunately, he went undrafted and never got to make any of the team’s roster spot as a rookie free agent.
But what PBA teams failed to see in him, Guam coach EJ Calvo took notice and lost no time to include him in Guam’s official lineup for the Asian qualifiers.
With Guam, Africano gets to be teammate with the 35-year-old Cruz, the no-nonsense guard of San Miguel Beer, who is considered among the go-to-guys of the 81st ranked national squad.
Going up against Gilas could also be the closest Africano could get playing against PBA players following his aborted stint to make it to Asia’s pioneering pro league.
Africano’s mother is a Filipina, although the 28-year-old player was born in Hawaii.
He traces his Filipino roots at Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Norte.
His father is Colombian, who met his Filipina mother in Hawaii.
‘That’s why I was born and raised there (Hawaii)," he said.
He said he’s from the Pearl City of Hawaii on the island of Oahu and played Division 3 basketball in Oregon State for Pacific University.
Africano described his play on the court as an unselfish, hustle-type of player.
“I do all of the little things as well as I can,” he said. “Communication is big for me. If you see me play and watch me play live, you’re gonna notice I’m definitely one of the loudest players on the court at all times especially defensively.”
“Offensively, I love to crash the offensive glass, get downhill, finish strong around the rim,” he added. “I consider myself pretty unselfish. I love finding my teammates whenever I can. And shot selection for me, I definitely like to take the easy shots, the open shots, don’t look to force too much.”
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