Damon Sayles: TexasHoops.com Senior Writer
With all the talented players on the Texas D-1 Ambassadors-San Antonio roster, Aaron Ramirez has found his place, as well as his niche. Not a bad deal for a small-town kid from the Rio Grande Valley with aspirations of succeeding in the big-city environments the month of July has to offer for a high school basketball player.
When Ramirez isn't practicing with the Ambassadors, he's working out in Santa Rosa, Texas, the place he calls home and the place that he's helped to put on the map. Santa Rosa made the UIL state tournament when he was a freshman and advanced to the Class 2A Region IV tournament this past year.
Ramirez, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound senior-to-be, is gearing up for an exciting July that kicks off with the Duncanville Great American Shoot-Out next week. The Ambassadors also are scheduled to make trips to Las Vegas and Los Angeles this month.
"This has helped me out a lot," Ramirez said of playing and traveling with the Ambassadors. "Since I started playing with them, I've gotten a lot of exposure. I've been getting more calls than usual, so it really has helped me out."
Ramirez is known around the Santa Rosa area as an all-around athlete. He is a starter in the secondary for the school's football team. When he's not using his 32-inch vertical to break up passes on the gridiron, he's throwing down crowd-pleasing dunks and blocking shots on the hardwood.
Ramirez's athleticism makes him the intriguing player that he is. He first dunked a basketball at the end of the seventh grade. Ramirez's athleticism allows him to play multiple positions. He's a natural swingman on offense but can defend all five positions if necessary.
"I can turn my game from the perimeter and the basket to posting up," Ramirez said. "On defense, I like to grab boards and block shots."
That athleticism also contributed to Ramirez being named an all-region selection by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. He said he is receiving college interest from both basketball and football recruiters. He has heard from Texas-Pan American, Lehigh, Sam Houston and a couple other schools in basketball. As for football interest, Ramirez has been invited to both the UNT and Iowa State camps, and he has heard from UTEP.
Ramirez has high expectations for the rest of the summer for himself and the Ambassadors, and he's viewing the opportunity to play with the Ambassadors as a chance to put his hometown on the map.
"Santa Rosa is a small town where everyone knows everyone. It's home to me," Ramirez said. "Playing with the Ambassadors, I get a chance to show my talents out of state. I've been working every day to better myself and get a chance to put Santa Rosa on the map, as well as the rest of the Valley. I'm also doing it for myself."
Below is Ramirez' video of his tomahawk slam which is floating around YouTube.
"Aaron follows in the tradition of great "hoppers" we've had here with the D1 Ambassadors. (Notie that I said "hoppers", not hoopers.) He's got springs in his feet. If you don't box him out he'll grab it off the rim and posterize someone. Ramirez is an outstanding athlete. He's solidly built, works hard, understands a role. He can step out and hit the three or he can post up bigger guys and hurt them with his mobility. At Santa Rosa, he can and does do it all. With a talented Texas D1 Ambassadors-San Antonio team he comes off the bench and gives minutes at several positions. He's a great sleeper for a mid major program who will get a talented, humble and hardworking kid". -Coach Max Ivany
