EVEN before he introduced himself to local basketball fans by way of Rain or Shine, Felix Pangilinan Lemetti almost came close to suiting up for Far Eastern University in the UAAP before the global pandemic struck.
The Fil-Sweden guard was in constant talks with members of the team’s former coaching staff under Olsen Racela back in 2020 and appeared ready to join the Tamaraws for the next seasons of the UAAP.
“I think he still has one playing year na available. At least yun ang pagkakatanda ko when we were trying to recruit him,” recalled Racela, now coach of the University of Perpetual Help Altas after their NCAA Season 100 men's basketball game against the Lyceum Pirates on Saturday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
READ Is Felix Lemetti the steal of PBA Season 49 draft?
Lemetti back then was with Fairfield University – an NCAA Division 1 school – but was willing to take his act to the land of her mother’s birth.
His mom Ednalyn Pangilinan hailed from Mindoro but is now based in Sweden. She recently visited his son and watched him play in his first-ever PBA playoffs.
Racela’s long-time deputy Ryan Betia was actually the one in constant touch with the representative of the 6-foot-1 point guard.
“May mga scouts kasi kaming kilala sa Sweden kaya nakilala namin yung representatives niya,” said Betia, who also joined Racela as part of his coaching staff at Perpetual.
“Okay na lahat. Payag naman siyang lumaro sa FEU. Kaso nga lang nag-pandemic.”
With sports in the country on hold due to the COVID-19 plague, the school couldn’t guarantee Lemetti on when college basketball will be allowed to resume.
With time ticking away, the former member of the Sweden junior national team let go of the opportunity to don the FEU green and yellow jersey and opted instead to take his act back to the US with Omaha University.
“Siyempre Omaha yun, NCAA Division 1 school,” said Betia. “Tsaka nga uncertain kasi kung kailan magsisimula ulit yung UAAP.”
Lemetti played solid with the Mavericks, being the only player to start in all 30 games of the team for the entire 2021-22 season where he averaged 10.5 points on 36 percent shooting from long distance, 3.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 assists per outing.
The following year, he played his senior year with the Southern Utah University and suited up for 12 games with the Thunderbirds.
As for Racela’s recollection, there were other UAAP schools which have also expressed interest in Lemetti other than the Tamaraws.
“Alam ko hindi lang kami (FEU), may iba ring schools which tried to recruit him. Alam ko isa yung UE dun,” said the Barangay Ginebra deputy coach.
Shortly after college, Lemetti briefly played for KFUM Fryshuset Basket in the Swedish Superettan, before eventually deciding to take a chance at the PBA draft.
As someone who flew under the radar, Betia said Lemetti was not really scouted heavily during the two-day Draft Combine.
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao though, saw something in the Fil-Swede rookie.
Guiao spots Lemetti
“Pasa-pasa lang kasi siya nung (Draft) Combine. Titira lang kung open siya,” said the Perpetual Help assistant coach from Cebu.
“Pero nakita ni coach Yeng magaling magdala ng bola, maayos na point guard. Kaya pinapunta niya sa practice nila para tingnan mabuti.”
Come Draft Day, the Elasto Painters made the stunning move of making Lemetti the No. 8 overall pick.
The rookie guard has since introduced himself to Filipino basketball fans with his solid plays for the Elasto Painters in the Governors’ Cup where the team reached the Final Four.
For sure, there could have been much of an interest in Lemetti had his stint with FEU four years ago pushed through.
“Mas nakilala sana siya noon pa,” said Betia.
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