FIL-AM guard Avery Scharer is hoping that teams look past his age and take a chance on him as he applies for the 2022 PBA Rookie Draft.
Already 35 years old, the 6-foot-2 guard from Shoreline Community College in Washington is looking at this as his last chance to play for the home country of his mother from Bauang, La Union.
He has repeatedly tried his luck in the PBA in the past, but with the league easing up on its eligibility rules for Fil-foreign applicants, will make one last attempt at making it to the league.
However, the biggest hurdle that Scharer is facing now is the new league rule setting the age limit for Fil-foreigners at 30 years old which takes effect this season.
Well past the age limit for Fil-foreign entries in the PBA draft, Avery Scharer is hoping to still be considered by the league.
Carrying his Philippine passport, Scharer is also hopeful that the PBA would allow him to join the draft pool despite exceeding the age limit.
The closest he has been in playing in the Philippines was in 2015 when he was drafted by Wangs Basketball in the PBA D-League but did not suit up after having problems with his papers.
Scharer has been a regular in leagues around the Southeast Asian region, first playing for the Westports Malaysia Dragons in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) where he posted 15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.9 steals during the 2013-14 season.
He also suited up as an import in Thailand and Malaysia, first for the OSK Basketball Club and with Hi-Tech Bangkok City, and previously in Mongolia with the Aravtuud Bulls.
Scharer is currently playing in Taiwan with the New Taipei CTBC DEA where he currently averages 14.3 points on 36-percent shooting from deep, to go with 7.3 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in the eight games he had in the T1 League.
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