Samuel Deguara (ex Alab Pilipinas) joins Tokyo Excellence

- January 7, 2021

POSTED BY: Eurobasket News

Samuel Deguara

Tokyo Excellence (B3 League) agreed terms with 29-year old Maltese ex-international center Samuel Deguara (225-131kg-91). He played last season at Alab Pilipinas in Filipino ASEAN League. In 14 games he had 14.6ppg, 10.1rpg and 1.0bpg. Deguara helped them to end the regular season as a second best team in the league. He also played for CEB Puerto Montt in Chilean Liga Nacional where in 9 games he recorded very impressive stats: 17.0ppg, 11.2rpg and 1.3apg.
In 2015 Deguara was drafted by Erie Bay Hawks (D-League) in sixth round (98th overall).
Deguara was also a member of Maltese international program for some years. He played for Maltese Senior National Team between 2008 and 2018 and previously for U18 National Team back in 2009.
Deguara also represented Malta at the European Championship for Small Countries in San Marino three years ago. His team won Gold and his stats at that event were 4 games: Score-3 (17.3ppg), Reb-1 (11.5rpg), Blocks-2 (1.3bpg), FGP: 65.1%, FT: 61.9%.
Deguara is quite experienced player. His career allowed him to visit four different continents, while he played in ten different countries. Deguara tasted the life as pro basketball player in Europe, Asia, Latin America and of course North America. He has played previously professionally in Canada (River Lions), China, Hong Kong (Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions), Italy (Benetton Treviso, Reggio Emilia and Caorle), Lithuania (Silute), Malaysia (Farmco), Spain (Baloncesto Fuenlabrada), Malta (Bupa), NBA G League (College Park SkyHawks) and Thailand (Mono Vampire and PEA).
The list of the past achievements is quite long as among others he was voted Asia-Basket.com All-Malaysian EBL Player of the Year back in 2017.
On Deguara: A young giant who could become the next European basketball sensation. His mom is 6-8, he's been yet measured at almost 7-4, and he is enough coordinated and skilled to end in double-double any game at cadet level he plays.
Sam is the tallest basketball player in the history of the Maltese basketball. He has a great wingspan and very good vision in the air that makes him really very effective in defence against his rivals. He displays a nice ripped frame, nicely strong for his age and virtually with no fat. Obviously, he will still need to gain some weight, but there's time for that given the fact that he is only seventeen. Sam needs to improve his shooting; even though he's fairly solid from mid-range distances he doesn't take many tries. In his weaknesses is the really zero result in the low post and in the paint even though he is so tall he can't control his body and his arms with the ball and the basket he needs a lot of coordination. Sam has quite good basketball IQ, he needs to work his dribble and his one on one offensive technique as sometimes "stacks" and forced to an easy error in the paint rather than a quick dunk he tries to triple. Benetton Treviso and the coaching team over there will definitely help him and will give him the best feasible knowledge in order to help him for the future.