If there is one defining characteristic of Jose Amat III’s game, the words are so obvious they nearly fall off the page: beyond his years.
When he was a seventh grader, Amat III became the youngest player ever to suit up for Westwood Christian’s varsity.
By eighth grade, Amat’s purity of vision as a facilitator enabled him to make up for any size deficiencies when constantly paired up against bigger and significantly taller guards.
Having never really played age appropriate and always gauging his grit against older and more physically mature players, Amat III’s basketball IQ and unselfish style of play has always been bedrock assets of his game.
All point guard’s have a responsibility that goes beyond other positions, essentially being an extension of the coach and knowing their teammates tendencies.
At the same time, being cognizant of timing and knowing how to see the floor and assess the best pass are essential tenets of a point guard’s makeup. Amat III has grasped this early on, establishing himself as a dish-first guard with a deadly 3-point shot.
As a freshman this past season, Amat III added on to his range and simultaneously increased his shot speed while leading Westwood in 3-pointers made.
As a coach’s son and a certifiable gym rat in every sense of the word, Amat III understands the value of sustained relentlessness.
Amat III’s whole career nearly, he’s had a hill to climb. Being undersized while playing against bigger players catapulted him into more work in the skill departments, where he’s tightened his handle and tuned up his focus to making surgical passes only a rare form of point guard’s can even replicate.
Now entering his sophomore year at Florida Christian, Amat III has all the intangibles to be a central figure in the style the youth laden program enforces.
“With who Jose is and the style he plays, he fits our system perfectly,” explains Florida Christian head coach Jason Doan.
“We are really going to increase the pace this year and transform into more of an uptempo tram–pressing, trapping. We’ve got 4-5 kids who shoot it at 40+ percent from 3-point land.”
With a number of sophomores, the youth movement at Florida Christian has the potential to grow up fast and simultaneously lay the foundation for the ensuing years.
And while Doan has watched Amat III play these past few years, his ties to the young point guard go well beyond that.
Amat III’s father, Jose Amat jr., who recently wrapped up a 15-year career and several school records at Westwood, was once a mentor to Doan. As a teenager, Doan learned under Amat Jr., the guy he credits for taking him to some of Miami’s rough and tumble parks and street games and instilling an added layer of toughness in him as a player.
Playing against bigger and more physically intimidating players, just as Amat III does currently, was instrumental in preparing Doan for the Division 1 level at nearby Florida International.
“He got me into some of his men’s league games where I was playing against high level guys and professionals,” Doan recalls.
“He introduced me to a whole new level of competition. You know back then, the rules weren’t as strict. You could get into a big time, hyper competitive men’s league game even if you weren’t 18 yet.”
It is all jarringly similar to the path Amat III is currently on. In fact, he’s spent the summer finely tuning his game against some of his father’s former players while devoting his time to skill concepts.
“The main aspects of my game I have improved on is my mid range pull up game and working on my athleticism,” said Amat III, who could potentially culminate his career as with 1000+ points and 500+ assists.
“At Florida Christian, I intend to be one of the team’s main scorers and playmakers, especially since I have a lot of teammates who can really shoot the ball. The uptempo attack fits me perfectly because it allows me to display my full skill set.”
