Ateneo’s Raffy Verano: It's about getting back on track

MANILA, Philippines — There’s a saying about life being viewed backwards but lived forwards.

For Ateneo Blue Eagle Raffy Verano, he was kicking himself for missing out on UAAP Season 82 owing to academics. But having righted the ship, he was looking forward to a huge comeback in Season 83. 

The two other players he was hoping to share the court with – Dwight Ramos and Will Navarro – have both moved on – to the Japan B. League and the PBA. 

Verano, though feels there is unfinished business. 

“I need to play to show what I can do,” he said of the next season. Whenever it will be played. 

“I was excited to play alongside Dwight Ramos and Will (Navarro) one more time while helping the school to another title,” reflected Raffy. 

In his first three years in college, Verano’s Ateneo teams went to the UAAP finals, winning two of them. They also proceeded to win every local tournament they entered. Verano even gave a good account of himself in the William Jones Cup where the Blue Eagles competed. 

Then came the disappointment of missing Season 82 where all he could do was cheer his teammates on from the sidelines.  

“It’s my fault,” Raffy lamented. “I take responsibility for that.”

As a freshman and a rookie, Verano had gotten very good minutes as head coach Tab Baldwin’s very first recruit for the Ateneo. 

He played the four-spot with a hellacious brand of tough defense with floor burns as his badge of honor. He guarded the post, rebounded, played taller players, and scored from inside and out. He got better every year as he finally made the starting line-up.

“Sitting a year out was an ugly feeling,” Verano reflected on missing Season 82. “I was determined not to go through that again. I worked on what I needed to and got myself back in shape. So Season 84 was my comeback year.”

 However, COVID-19 struck, and the world shut down.

“When the pandemic happened, it became all about personal safety, my family’s safety,” related Raffy. “You see and hear about people losing their lives so suddenly. So you check out on the people you care for — family, teammates, classmates and friends.”

Raffy also fell into a funk.

“I also felt disappointed and depressed in the first few months of the lockdown more so because of the uncertainty about the future. But COVID-19 is so frightening. It became personal safety, your family’s safety first. We follow all the safety measures about sanitizing, bathing after we go out to buy food and groceries, and sanitizing all the things we buy.”

Luckily for Raffy, his family has been safe and healthy during this difficult time. 

Life returning to what it once was is uncertain. Rather than feel upset, Raffy got his diploma and graduated last year. He even started reading more to enrich his mind and to learn how to cook.

“I don’t cook anything that is chef-worthy, but it isn’t bad. Don’t expect anything fancy but it’s not bad.”

And to unwind, I saved up for a game console and have become a gamer. So I am looking to challenge other gamers out there,” he invited. 

Academics-wise, Verano is taking his masters so he could suit up for one more year for Ateneo.

“I need to play to show what I can do,” he said of the next season. Whenever it will be played. 

The goal for Raffy is to play in the Philippine Basketball Association. However, with some of his former teammates now plying their trade in the B. League, that too is an option.

“I think the pandemic has forced all of us to be mindful of safety, not to take anything for granted, learn a new skill, and grab any opportunity there is. I understand Dwight for doing what he did. As for me, I have a year of school left in me and to get my basketball career back on track.”

“It’s staying positive and as always, trusting the difficult process to get where I want to go.”

After all, even in this pandemic, life for Raffy Verano is moving forward.