J’can basketballer Ricardo Alliman on the move in France
Jamaican basketballer Ricardo Alliman is on the move in France, where he has joined third division club Pays des Olonnes Basket club following a successful season with Union Tarbes Lourdes.
The former Calabar High and CedarVille University star will be playing for his sixth club in France in what will be his 10th season.
“I am really thankful to have another opportunity to continue playing at the professional level and I am looking forward to joining this new team in France. It will be a challenge, but I’m ready to take it on,” Alliman told the Jamaica Observer.
The 6ft 7in power forward averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game last season playing 20 games with Union Tarbes Lourdes in the French N1 League.
He had a season-high 24 points in 28 minutes against Toulouse BC last November and grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds in 35 minutes against Caen BC.
He scored in double figures 12 times in 20 games. He had 20 points or more to times. He recorded two double-doubles.
“France is a good country to be playing basketball [as] it’s one of the most stable markets in terms of sports. They have great protection for players as contracts are guaranteed as opposed to other countries,” he explained.
He continued: “And now, especially with coronavirus gripping the world, these protections are necessary.”
The 33-year-old, who last represented Jamaica six years ago at the 2014 Centrobasketball Tournament in Mexico, said it’s unlikely that he will be representing Jamaica at a major tournament unless something comes up in the next year or two.
“Jamaica is in the process of revamping their programme in trying to make a push for the Paris 2024 Olympics. It will be a great challenge, but that’s what they’re going for,” said Alliman.
“It would always be an honour to represent my country, but I believe I’ll be leaving the way for the young talents coming up in terms of the push for international competitions coming up after the Tokyo 2021 Olympics is over with,” he noted.
“But if competitions come up within the year or two I will be happy to participate, try out for the team and try to make it,” Alliman added.
“But looking out to 2024, four years from now more than likely I won’t be playing competitive basketball anymore as I would be moving on with my life doing something else,” he ended.
