BEFORE Gilas stalwart Dwight Ramos was able to represent the Philippines, it took roughly four years for coach Tab Baldwin to convince him to take his talent home.
The 22-year-old was a senior in Walnut High School in California when the American-Kiwi mentor first reached out to him to recruit him for Ateneo. Ramos refused to take the offer at first because he wanted to pursue college ball in the States — and had already committed to Cal State Fullerton, a D1 school.
Three years later, as his younger brother Eli had decided to join to the Blue Eagles, Ramos decided to accompany him to the Philippines. But upon entering the Philippine basketball scene, there’s so much more that awaited him.
But even if Baldwin's invitation was for the Blue Eagles, Ramos ended up sporting the Gilas Pilipinas jersey first.
In the Philippines’ sweep of the recent FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in Clark, he led the team with an average of 13.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and two steals.
And that’s when he figured he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Dwight Ramos: 'Adjustment was very easy'
“I definitely made the right decision,” he told SPIN Life. “I have already gotten to experience what I wanted after playing in the States, so when I came here, I already have that experience, and I used that to give me confidence coming in the PH.”
The 22-year-old guard also found it very easy to adapt to the culture, both inside Ateneo and Gilas.
“The adjustment was very easy. Everybody’s so friendly, it feels like we’ve known each other for years,” he said.
He added: “And that gave me the confidence in the games, I got my teammates, coaches believing in me, I just know I’m in the right place.”
Having fully recovered from his groin injury that had him sat out of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament two weeks ago, Ramos is ready for more.
As he continues to prepare for the FIBA Asia Cup in August, he couldn’t care less about any other agenda other than contributing to the team as a whole.
“I just want to keep playing internationally, try to make a bigger name for the country as we go on,” he continued.
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