PHOTO BY AUGUST DELA CRUZ
MANILA, Philippines — Showcasing disciplined basketball in his last years in college and in the PBA D-League has opened a lot of doors for guard Jeric Fortuna.
Starting with a possible stint with the veteran-laden San Miguel Beermen squad in the Asean Basketball League (ABL), SMC sports director Noli Eala tweeted (@NoliEala) that Fortuna has started practicing for the Beermen, though “nothing definite yet.”
“But certainly team is interested. Kid can play,” said Eala of the University of Santo Tomas standout.
Fortuna confirmed to INQUIRER.net that he joined training on Wednesday, and is hoping to be “part of the lineup soon.”
After steering the Tigers to a finals stint in the UAAP, the sly guard continued his impressive showing in the recent PBA D-League Aspirants, impressing Blackwater coach Leo Isaac repeatedly.
Now it’s time to impress the Beermen head coach Leo Austria.
It took time in college before he unleashed his true potential as a smart court general, with a sweet shooting range — and expanding his repertoire is what Fortuna seeks in the ABL.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity. Since the team is full of veterans, I’ll make the most out of it and learn a lot from them. This will really help me grow as a player,” Fortuna said in a text message.
And playing in an international stage — with stretches of road games in different countries across Southeast Asia — certainly poses a different level of challenge.
“I’ll be playing against taller, bigger, faster, and more mature players,” Fortuna added. “It’s gonna be a challenge.”