Ramos ready for another chapter with Hokkaido in B.League

MANILA, Philippines — Fresh off a contract renewal with the Levanga Hokkaido, Dwight Ramos is ecstatic to show more of what he can do for his Japan B.League team.

Ramos, who averaged a career-high 11.5 points per game to go with 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in the 2024-25 season, signed a contract renewal with Hokkaido a few days ago.

But despite his breakout season, Levanga missed the B.League playoffs and had a 21-39 record.

During the B.League Final Week Manila event at the Gateway Mall on Saturday, Ramos voiced excitement with the new season, especially with new additions to the team.

“I'm really excited for the next season. We have a new coach, a foreign coach,” he told reporters.

The team, earlier in the month, announced that Torsten Loibl will be returning as the coach of the squad. He previously coached Levanga in 2011-12 season, and then eventually coached the Japan U19 team and the Japan 3x3 team.

Ramos added that he knows he still has a lot to improve on and voiced eagerness to showcase more of his skills.

“When I talked with the team, they said that they felt like I still didn't show all that I can do, and I agreed. So, I'm always on the same page with them,” he said.

“So that's why I felt like I'm going to stay with Hokkaido again, and hopefully this year we can do some big things.”

While he discussed a contract with other teams, he ultimately agreed to a contract extension with his “first choice”.

Ramos, who was named team co-captain last season, will now be entering his fifth season in Japan and fourth with Hokkaido.

The 6-foot-4 guard, a main fixture for Gilas Pilipinas, is expected to be a part of the national team that will compete in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers that will start later this year.

Ramos, meanwhile, said that while they are in a tough group in the qualifiers – they are bracketed with heavyweights New Zealand and Australia, as well as Guam – they will try their best.

“Qualifiers, you've got a tough group, but it's just qualifiers, you know. So, the goal is just to qualify, it's not to win every single game,” he said.

“Obviously, we want to. But in the end, we just want to qualify.”