WILL it be Philippines or New Zealand?
Ken Tuffin isn't ready to make that decision yet after wrapping up his maiden campaign in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL) on Thursday.
For now, the focus for the Fil-Kiwi gunner is to wrap up his collegiate career with Far Eastern University as he has one more playing year left in the UAAP.
"My immediate focus is on FEU right now," he said after the Taranaki Mountainairs' tough 105-95 defeat to the Manawatu Jets in the semifinals of the 2020 Sal's NBL Showdown.
"I'm just planning on playing my last year, looking to graduate, and let's see what happens from there."
The 6-foot-4 shooter was included in the shortlist for the Tall Blacks pool for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
He has been previously included in coach Chot Reyes' 23-for-2023 Gilas Pilipinas cadet pool, before the mentor was relieved of his duties at the helm of the national team.
Still, the experience of playing in a semi-pro league was a valuable one for Tuffin.
"It's definitely more physical here, more slower," he said in an interview through Smart Sports.
"When you get to the pros, the little things matter. We kind of had mental lapses, so you really have to be focused all the time. The guys may not be very big or very quick, but they're very sly, very intelligent so you have to stay at their level of mindset."
Tuffin averaged 9.2 points on a 42-percent shooting from threes, alongside 4.6 rebounds in the 15 games he played for the Mountainairs.
Now, he shifts his attention to continuing to improve his game as he awaits the resumption of his collegiate career, with the upcoming UAAP Season 83 pencilled for the first quarter of 2021.
"I'll get back and prepare my body," Tuffin said. "I'll get back in some sort of shape and get back to the Philippines and eventually, play in FEU. Whenever they need me there, I'll play my last year."
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