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Ahead of PBA stint, Javi GDL grateful for lessons learned in B.League

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Former Ibaraki guard Javi Gomez de Liaño during a watch party for the B.League Finals at Titan Fort at the Bonifacio Global City. (c) B.LEAGUE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/06/01/javi-gomez-de-liano.jpg"/><figcaption>Former Ibaraki guard Javi Gomez de Liaño during a watch party for the B.League Finals at Titan Fort at the Bonifacio Global City. (c) B.LEAGUE</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- His season in Japan&#x27;s B.League may not have gone according to expectations, but Javi Gomez de Liaño believes the experience will be crucial as he moves forward in his basketball career.Gomez de Liaño spent the past season with the Ibaraki Robots in Japan, but played just 9.5 minutes per game with 36 appearances for the team. He averaged just 3.2 points and 1.1 rebounds per contest, as the Robots missed the playoffs with a 16-38 win-loss record.At the end of their campaign, Gomez de Liaño opted to return home to the Philippines and declare for the PBA Rookie Draft. He was taken by Barangay Ginebra with the eighth overall pick, but was eventually traded to TerraFirma before the start of the league&#x27;s 47th season.As he gears up for his first professional season in the Philippines, Gomez de Liaño expressed his gratitude to the Ibaraki organization and the B.League for preparing him both on the court and off of it.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/05/21/javi-gomez-de-liano-is-latest-filipino-to-play-in-japan-league">READ: Javi Gomez de Liano is latest Filipino to play in Japan league</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/17/22/pba-ginebra-acquires-jeremiah-gray-from-terrafirma">READ: Ginebra acquires Jeremiah Gray from TerraFirma</a></li></ul>&quot;It really helped me transition to my game, kasi I played more of a two-guard there in Japan. So, you know, that really helped me transition my game, &#x27;cause coming out from college, I used to be a three, a stretch four,&quot; Gomez de Liaño told ABS-CBN News in a recent interview, during a watch party for the B.League Finals at Titan Fort.&quot;So everything about my game and skills, I was able to work on it back there in Japan,&quot; he said. &quot;I was grateful, even though I didn&#x27;t get to play a lot of minutes there, but learning from great players and coaches, it&#x27;s like panalo pa rin ako.&quot;Gomez de Liaño saw an increase in playing time towards the end of the season, and when given the opportunity, he displayed what he can do. He netted a B.League career-best 17 points against Levanga in late April, making four of his six three-pointers. Against Yokohama, he put up 15 points in 25 minutes.For the former University of the Philippines star, a bulk of his learning came off the court. He recalls losing 20 pounds in Japan, and improving his work ethic and discipline. His B.League stint may not have been marked with victories, but it taught Gomez de Liaño how to be a professional.&quot;They [the Japanese] give 100% in what they do. I see it from the coaches, from the players. I never saw them relax in training,&quot; he said. &quot;Even though, after a game, may training pa rin kami, no one complains that they&#x27;re tired.&quot;&quot;That&#x27;s what we&#x27;re paid to do, and we have to be professional about it,&quot; he added. &quot;Ang dami kong natutunan sa lahat sa kanila.&quot;This mindset is what he will bring to the Dyip, where Gomez de Liaño hopes to carve out a role and make an impact. There, he will be playing alongside last year&#x27;s top overall pick in Joshua Munzon, former Gilas Pilipinas teammate Isaac Go, and veterans like Juami Tiongson and Aldrech Ramos.&quot;I&#x27;ll work for my minutes. I&#x27;ll work my way up,&quot; vows Gomez de Liaño, who will wear his usual No. 22 with TerraFirma. &quot;I&#x27;ve been training with them for the past two weeks, and we&#x27;ve been having tune-ups. I just have to work hard and get the trust from the coaches and also my teammates.&quot;&quot;&#x27;Yung role naman, hindi ibibigay sa &#x27;yo &#x27;yun eh. Everyone has to work for it,&quot; he added. &quot;That&#x27;s what I have to do. I have to work hard for that role. It&#x27;s not gonna be given.&quot;The Dyip open their season on June 8 against the NLEX Road Warriors at the Araneta Coliseum.

Javi Gomez de Liaño believes his experience in Japan's B.League will be crucial as he moves forward in his basketball career.

Ahead of PBA stint, Javi GDL grateful for lessons learned in B.League

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Ahead of PBA stint, Javi GDL grateful for lessons learned in B.League

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 01, 2022 01:18 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

Japan

Japan B.League

Ibaraki Robots

PBA

TerraFirma Dyip

Javi Gomez de Liaño

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