Adamson’s Ingrid Sewa/Jasmine Payo INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — He made his first shot in the opponent’s basket.
As embarrassing as his debut may be, the incident only pushed Adamson’s Ingrid Sewa to work harder on his basketball smarts and skills.
“When he came here, he knew nothing about basketball, but he has improved,” Adamson coach Leo Austria said of his 6-foot-7 African recruit. Going by his first shot, that’s an understatement.
“The good thing about him is he wants to learn.”
Sewa, though, is just one of the growing number of Africans popping up in collegiate leagues with only their height and heft to show.
It has been a contentious issue, with some arguing that they take the opportunity away from young Filipino big men. Yet on the other end, some credit their arrival for challenging the homegrown talents to raise their game.
There’s no arguing, however, how focused most of these foreign athletes can be.
A year after his laughable start, Sewa showed in this season’s Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup how he has grown from a clueless Cameroonian center to an intimidating inside force.
“I just want to thank my teammates and my coach for giving me the opportunity to show what I can do,” said Sewa, a hulking 19-year-old. “I’m here because of him (Austria). He knows how to use me in the game.”
“I hope he maintains his confidence,” said Austria. “He’s the biggest man on the floor and he has to take advantage of his size. I hope he has realized he has all the advantages and he can be a force to reckon with.”
But as much as they change the game, coaches said these foreigners aren’t getting any preferential treatment.
University of Santo Tomas coach Pido Jarencio had no qualms in benching Karim Abdul when his Cameroonian star arrived late in one match. University of the East mentor Boycie Zamar also sat out Charles Mammie once, citing disciplinary reasons.
“No one is above the team,” said Zamar.
And Sewa, as well as the other African recruits, know this since a lot of foreign hopefuls are waiting in the wings.
“I will do my best,” said Sewa. “I know I can do better than what I can do now.”