DWIGHT Ramos enters the FIBA window with lots of reasons to be positive.
Prior to rejoining Gilas Pilipinas for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, Ramos is enjoying his best season in the Japan B.League with the surging Levanga Hokkaido highlighted by career-defining numbers.
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After a succession of underwhelming seasons, Hokkaido is finally winning, posting a 14-4 win-loss record prior to the FIBA break that kept it tied with defending champion Utsunomiya Brex for second place in the East division.
Ramos’ team is just seven wins shy of equalling its total victories from last year's wins total with still 32 games to play.
The entry of former G League player Hiroki Tominaga and ex-NBA player Jahlil Okafor have also been a reason for Levanga Hokkaido’s improvement. Tominaga is averaging 17.8 points on 37 percent shooting from threes, while Okafor is registering 15.4 points and 8.4 rebounds through 18 games.
“We’re doing great. We are tied for second in the division so it’s a complete change of how it's been like in the past year. So I’m really happy,” said Ramos.
In his first season with Hokkaido, Ramos only tasted 19 victories during the 2022-23 campaign. It got even worst the following year as the squad only had 17 wins.
Ramos is also enjoying a good year individually as he is averaging 13.2 points and 3.1 assists, all on pace for a career-high for him this season.
“I think all around, the stats have been like career highs this year. So just keep improving every year,” Ramos added.
Ramos, for now, shifts his focus to Gilas as he looks to continue his winning ways as they start the World Cup qualifiers against Guam on November 28 and December 1.
“These are the two games that we need to win,” said Ramos. “Just got to play hard, play to win and just show up,” said Ramos.
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