By Nikole Javier
Taking lessons from his most recent Gilas stint, Dwight Ramos was certain he would play a better role in his second season in Japan B.League.
Ramos signed with the Levanga Hokkaido for his second year in the Japanese league. He first saw action with Toyama Grouses and averaged decent numbers of 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals in 46 games.
The 24-year-old also drew praises for his performance in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers fourth window against Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, proving his worth with precise shooting and gutsy drives which earned him praise from NBA star Jordan Clarkson.
“My experience with the national team was great. Even during the off-season, I was able to learn from its games. I believe that this experience will definitely help me better this regular season,” said Ramos.
No matter where the stage is, Ramos has continued to impress with his great showing, which is exactly why the Levanga Hokkaido, which finished 16th overall in the 2021-2022 season, was elated to have him on board.
“We are greatly happy to have Dwight Ramos on this team, the Levanga Hokkaido. He has great physical ability, and we believe that he will contribute to the team both in offense and defense,” said Levanga Hokkaido general manager Takahiko Kiyonaga. “We believe that having him on this team will help the team make a step to get to a higher level.”
Kiyonaga has revealed that Ramos caught their attention since the 2020 Asian Qualifiers against South Korea, stating that “he (Ramos) has a high basketball IQ.”
Ramos, who is considered as the "face of Filipino basketball” by Levanga, will be joining co-import and 6-foot-10 center Shawn Long, who averaged 25 points per game in the 2021-22 season.
With a long season of 60 games ahead, Ramos has gotten accustomed to Japan’s playing level and deemed that the quality of the country’s basketball is getting better. Hokkaido Levanga will kick off their 2022-2023 season against Akita Northern Happinets on Oct. 1.