ARWIND SANTOS plays a new role—on and off the court—with his new team NorthPort Batang Pier.
“I want to help and lead or push NorthPort to victories, I want to perform my best,” Santos told BusinessMirror on Thursday. “No. 1, my goal is to guide the rookies, provide leadership aside from bringing to the team my athleticism and defensive skills.”
“At the same time, I will also push myself to do my best for my new team, this is a great challenge in my career,” Santos, 40, added.
Santos was traded by San Miguel Beer to NorthPort in exchange for muscle man Vic Manuel, who’s eight years younger. He has started practicing with the Batang Pier last Monday.
Santos played for 12 years and won nine championships with the Beermen.
He said that NorthPort has several similarities with his former powerhouse team.
“We have several offensive options with our guards and wings and we have a mighty giant in our frontline,” said Ramos, whose contract with his new team expires August next year. “We are just like San Miguel Beer in terms of the lineup because we have the same guards like [Robert] Bolick, wing player [Jamie] Malonzo and [Greg] Slaughter.”
He added: “It’s just like when I was playing with Alex [Cabagnot], Chris [Ross], Mo [Tautuaa] and [June Mar] Fajardo.”
But NorthPort, Ramos said, has more defensive players although San Miguel Beer has Marcio Lassiter, who is always a three-point threat.
“He’s [Lassiter] the only difference,” he said.
Santos admitted he was surprised by the trade, which his former coach Leo Austria confided to him three days before it was made public.
“I kept the trade from my family after Coach Leo told me, so everyone was really surprised, but I already moved on,” said the Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player in 2012. “I am always very thankful to Sir RSA [Ramon S. Ang] and to the fans of San Miguel Beer.”
NorthPort’s import Cameron Forte, meanwhile, is now practicing with the team after completing his quarantine.
“He [Forte] moves awkwardly, but he’s a good import and plays very well in defense,” Santos said.