John Amores will be entering the Philippine Basketball Association with the lessons he picked up from his one-year journey to redemption.
Speaking during the Jose Rizal University and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta match last Saturday in Season 99 National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament, Amores, who gained notoriety for his punching spree against College of Saint Benilde last year, swears he is on the road to reformation.
Selected by NorthPort in the fifth round during the Philippine Basketball Association Draft and emerged 51st overall, Amores then signed a one-year deal with the Batang Pier and is slated to make his debut against Terrafirma on 10 November at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“I learned a lot of lessons that I need to continue once I’m in the PBA. It’s my work now and I don’t want to waste this chance,” Amores said.
“It was hard back then. I don’t even know if I will get picked by any team after the incident and I just prayed and just surrendered to the Lord,” he added.
After an abrupt end to his collegiate career, Amores played for the Zamboanga Valientes in the ASEAN Basketball League Invitational where he had the opportunity to play alongside former San Beda University guard James Kwekuteye and former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers.
After missing the playoffs in the ABL, Amores jumped ship to the Muntinlupa Cagers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League where he helped the team reach the playoffs after finishing in sixth place in the 2023 season.
Under Batang Pier head coach and former Letran College mentor Bonnie Tan and playing alongside NCAA stars such as Knights Fran Yu, Brent Paraiso, and Season 98 Rookie of the Year Cade Flores of Arellano University, Amores admitted the transition to the PBA is a lot easier with familiar faces also with him on the team.
“Some of the picks were from NCAA. We might have been on different teams but we all came from the NCAA so adjusting isn’t hard.”
“A lot has changed over a year and I didn’t expect to be here at this point. I’m just thankful to the Lord I’m right here.”
