This past season was the quintessential “prove it” year for Florida Christian guard Jose Amat III. Battle tested as a sophomore, Amat III instantly transitioned to the souped-up tempo enforced under head coach Jason Doan.
Beyond his emergence as a reliable shot-maker with floor-spreading range and the ability to reel off points in a hurry, Amat III was able to orchestrate the uptempo attack.
Developing and displaying poise as both a facilitator and a scorer was an instrumental step in growth for Amat, who grew up rather fast by playing varsity as a seventh grader at Westwood Christian. With good concepts of the game and quickly adjusting to the changing of speeds, the IQ and early skill set Amat III developed at Westwood Christian is translating to the current stage at Florida Christian.
Given his attributes, Amat III can best be described as a throwback-caliber of player.
He relishes his role as a dish-first creator, taking pride in learning his teammates tendencies, finding them in the open court and drawing defenders in before kicking in an assist.
He’s made his mid-range game—a veritable lost art in today’s game with the reliance on the 3-point shot—an integral component of his offensive arsenal.
With his pull-up and elevation on his jumper, he brings a tool-set that enables him to score it consistently even when facing bigger, taller opponents.
His shiftiness and ability to get free on the drive are what enable the crafty 5-foot-9 guard to create space.
Jose’s original coach, former Westwood Christian head coach Jose Amat II, is quick to cite the Class of 2022 prospect’s wealth of experience as a factor in his ascension.
“He has been playing and practicing with high major players for some time now,” said Amat II of his son.
“That experience is crucial for someone his age and it definitely shows out in big games as he is very calm under pressure. He played varsity (at Westwood Christian) since the seventh grade and became teammates with Emmanuel Dowuana (6-foot-11 Purdue Center), James Ametepe (Florida International forward), and Sebastian Guitian (South Carolina State).”
Amat III has steadily been working at his athleticism, the trait that is so desired at the ensuing level of play.
He’s worked at his agility and vertical explosiveness, looking to make above the rim finishes with either hand the newish facet of his game.
He is currently ranked no.59 in the Class of 2022 in the state of Florida, according to the latest rankings from Prep Hoops.
Having improved incrementally as a long range shooter, developing a quicker release while increasing his range and adjusting to the higher level of play, Amat III is thrust into a prominent role next season.
