For more than a decade, AJ Gloriani was looking for a place to settle where she could play the sport that she loves.
Now, she has realized her dream with the Women’s National Basketball League. And she cannot forget the moment the league announced that it was going to hold a draft.
“When I heard the news that there will be a women’s basketball professional league, I immediately contacted my strength and conditioning coach, Marv Dubouzet, to discuss a program suitable for me,” said Gloriani.
“I can’t express how excited I am to participate in this historical league. The women’s basketball community waited so long for this to finally happen. Younger hoopers can now look forward to a pro league career after graduating in college.”
Out of a total of 115 hopefuls, Gloriani was the 10th player selection in the 2021 WNBL Draft last February 13.
With so many others vying for a spot, the experience was nerve-wracking, to say the least. Still, in her case, all’s well that ends well.
“Before the draft day, I felt uneasy,” said the 34-year-old. “Even though my past basketball experiences proved me to be eligible in the draft, I wasn’t sure if a team would pick me since I’m already past my prime. But when I heard my name get called as the first pick of the Paranaque Lady Aces, sobrang saya. I can’t explain the feeling.
“It was a memorable night for me.”
The chance to finally play in the WNBL has been a long time coming for Gloriani.
The 5-foot-2 guard played in the UAAP from La Salle from 2004 to 2009. While championships and individual awards eluded her time with the Green and White, she still felt fulfilled playing for the Taft school.
Aside from Gloriani, the other La Salle alumnae draftees include Camille Claro, Khate Castillo, Camille Ramos, Nicky Garcia, and Snow Peñaranda. And she feels excited to see some familiar faces when the competition starts.
“The Lady Archers are very well represented in the league. I’d like to give the credit to current head coach, Cholo Villanueva, for producing pro-league-ready players which were now coveted by different teams,” said the guard.
“I’m looking forward to playing my former teammates, Nicky Garcia and Camille Ramos, and also competing with the younger lady archers, Camille Claro, Snow Peñaranda, and Khate Castillo.”
When Gloriani’s collegiate days ended, the lack of local competition forced her to look elsewhere. A stint abroad at the Basketball Thailand Superleague then followed in 2014. She even represented the country in the 2011 SEABA Cup, and the 2011 and 2013 Southeast Asian Games.
“Competing in international leagues exposed me to different types of defenses and basketball players around the world.
“It helped me increase my basketball IQ, handle pressure, and also pushed me to work harder since our opponents were really on a different level,” said the former Ginebra player in the PBA 3×3 Women’s tournament.
Gloriani finished a BS Computer Engineering degree at DLSU.
Since the WNBL is only starting to grow as a proper professional league, she is but one of many players who plan to balance playing on the court with a career off of it.
“I’ve been in the IT industry for more than seven years, and I’m currently working as a Cybersecurity Engineer in a multinational company. Personally, it’s essential that I finish my degree because it will serve as my main source of income given that there were no pro leagues during that time,” she explained.
“I’m pretty sure that balancing time between a full-time day job and the pro league would be tough, but it’s possible when you have a supportive organization behind your back.”
For now, though, Gloriani is patiently on standby while the league has yet to take place. It’s been a long time coming for her and her peers.
Once the buzzer sounds for the WNBL’s first game, that in itself is a win for her and others who have waited this long for a league they can call theirs.
“I can’t wait for the coronavirus (disease) to go away so we can already train and the league can finally start. I have yet to find my role in the team. Whatever it is, I’m happy to comply. I’m excited to share my basketball experience and learn from them as well.”
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