Ateneo's Raffy Verano: An old blood-and-guts comeback

MANILA, Philippines – During Season 80 of the UAAP, La Salle Green Archer Andrei Caracut offered a low five to Raffy Verano, who was then in his sophomore year. Verano ignored him.

It wasn’t that he was a bad sport. When the whistle blows, Verano is laser-focused on playing the game and winning. In a team that had demonstrative players like the Nieto brothers and Thirdy Ravena, Verano learned well.

Especially from Mike Nieto.

Undersized but plays much bigger than his height. All heart. All hustle. All about team.

In Season 82, when Verano missed the tournament owing to academics, he was at the Big Dome to watch his teammates take another title at the expense of UST. During the halftime break, Verano was at the lobby grinning. But inside, he was flagellating himself for not being there.

“I gotta get back and help the team,” he said.

In a team with SJ Belangel, Angelo Kouame and Dave Ildefonso, one can be overlooked. But Raffy cannot be overlooked with his heads-up play.

With the Far Eastern University Tamaraws making another run and hoping to stop Ateneo’s win streak for the season at 12, Verano came up huge. He drilled a step back three from the left corner pocket. He faked a pass then drove hard against Tamaraws center Emman Ojuola and a defender who came out to help.

Then Angelo Kouame found him with an entry pass, which he used for an undergoal stab against FEU’s Daniel Celzo. 

Opponent’s run doused, Verano let out a yell. Mr. Old Blood and Guts had come out to play. 

He went on to finish with a team-high 17 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. He even took a charge from Patrick Sleat and swiped the ball away from a driving LJ Gonzales. 

By Season 81, his junior year, Raffy was on the starting five taking over from Vince Tolentino, and he manned the slot with aplomb. 

When asked if he would like to score a lot of points, he admitted, “Yes, but it’s more fun winning.”

“Sitting a year out was an ugly feeling,” Raffy said during an interview in October 2021 when the league seemed unsure and uncertain. “I was determined not to go through that again. I worked on what I needed to and got myself back in shape. Season 84 will be my comeback year.”

Since Mike Nieto left, no one has more skid and burn marks, and taken charges. 

Promise kept.

“My dad,” Raffy added then, “taught me not to make promises I cannot keep.”
 
Earlier in the season, he looked to have hurt his leg. He skipped a game but came back strong. 
 
“It’s my comeback year,” he reminded me. 
 
How’s that being in a team of tough guys?
 
“We’re a team. We all like winning.”