ONCE an offensive liability, Jamil Sheriff is finally finding his scoring touch.
The Filipino-Canadian now averages 8.8 points per game (ppg) in UST’s first 10 outings this season, an improvement from his 2.3 ppg output in the past four years.
Sheriff, a pass-first, shoot-later guard, even scored a career-high 19 points on top of six steals, four assists and three rebounds in UST’s 73-69 win against National University last Oct. 15.
“This year, all those guys already graduated so coach wanted me to be aggressive and take more shots,” he told the Varsitarian.
With no particular go-to scorers in the team, the 5-foot-7 guard has no choice but to step up in the offensive end.
And Sheriff delivered.
In UST’s win over the University of the East last Sept. 10, he sank a triple and buried contested stepback jumpers en route to 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
“I feel like people have to watch out for me now because I have gained so much confidence which I now translate into every shot I take,” he said.
Coach Boy Sablan said Sheriff still had to “build his confidence” and shoot more often.
“You need to talk to him and let him shoot,” Sablan said.
Sheriff was not supposed to see action this season because he was deemed ineligible weeks before Season 79 due to the new age limit rule.
UST argued that the 25-year-old Sheriff was still covered by the old rule that set the age ceiling at 24 by June 30.
Sheriff got the go-signal on the eve of the Tigers’ season debut.
UST languishes at sixth place with a 3-7 win-loss card. Ivan Ruiz L. Suing
