INTRODUCTION: Brian Amabilino Perez started his basketball education in Europe. Then he attended a prep school in New England before coming to the University of Rochester. His education includes the nuances of the college game plus his studies in Biochemistry with a goal of working in biomedicine after commencement.

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You have extensive experience with club teams like FC Barcelona, Union Esportiva Sant Cugat, and Derby Trailblazers, plus the England and Great Britain Under 18 teams. Where did you get your start?
 
I think one of the biggest factors I have appreciated most growing up was playing for my hometown team UESC with teammates who were older than me for the first few years. It allowed me to improve and raise my game significantly as I had to work harder to compete, something I realized later on when I joined my class.
 
However I would say my biggest start/break was when I played for F.C Barcelona. The level of competitiveness and pressure to perform was much greater and there is no bigger dream as a kid than to play for your favorite team at the youth levels. It was an intense and very enjoyable experience I will never forget. Although I was not a starter for Barcelona (or the national teams I played in), it really improved my level of play by competing against some of the best players and having to fight for everything I achieved, and I was honored to be a part of all those teams.
 
Later on with Derby and Avon Old Farms I was able to play a much bigger role as a starter with some high level experience and I was able to develop much more individually, as I was really able to be myself on the court and play with more freedom. Matt Shaw at Derby was really important to my formation and development and I learned an incredible amount from him.
 
How old were you when you started playing basketball?
About 8 or 9, I just got called by one of my friends dad who was coaching and saw that I was tall so I gave it a go. I enjoyed it a lot, so I never stopped.
 
What made it attractive?
At the beginning just seeing the ball go through the net and the fast pace of the game, but also the exciting finishes to the games and in some of the cooler  plays that I watched on TV from my favourite teams. Later on, I was able to really appreciate the competitiveness, (one aspect I really enjoy),  but also the daily skill work and teamwork involved in making a team the best it can be. Forming connections and understandings with your teammates can be really fun when you are working towards a common goal and developing friendships off the court.
 
Are the same clubs that sponsor basketball also the ones that sponsor soccer? Do they focus attention on it as much as they would stress soccer?
Although I am not an expert, I would say basketball does get less attention than soccer in Europe but I think that is really relative because football is such a massive sport over there and it has such a big market. The professional leagues in Europe (such as Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece,…) are really huge and basketball is played with a lot of tradition and passion in so many countries, and it really is the highest level just under the NBA so there are big sponsors and names behind all of it, although probably somewhat different to the football ones. There is a huge fan base and it is incredibly passionate, and I would say that the fan base is probably more local. The Euroleague is an amazing and huge competition and it is incredibly hard to get there. It is also internationally really well recognized. Anyone outside basketball might not be so familiar with it but any basketball player knows how great the professional leagues in Europe are and it really is a dream to play professionally there for any basketball player, not only at the club level but also with the National Team competitions which are run through FIBA.
 
The international game has some rules differences from American basketball, doesn't it?
Yes. International games have 10 min. quarters compared to the NBA's 12 min quarters and the college basketball 20 min halves. The shot clock is also 24 seconds compared to the college 30 seconds. The three-point line is somewhere in between the college and NBA three point line (about 22 feet if I'm not mistaken, 6.75 meters). Fouling out is just like college, 5 fouls. There are some more specific ones like no one and ones on free throws like college, differences in timeouts compared to the NBA/NCAA, in the technical foul rules but also involving goal tending and basket interference.
 
What skills did you need to succeed in the international game?
I think growing up and probably still now there is a conception that the international game is more based on ball and player movement than in America, and less of an isolation game, although my experience in college so far has shown me that it is equally important and it really depends on the team. I would really say there is a huge leap in America between high school and college basketball or at least that is my perception, and this may be less so internationally.
 
Other coaches and experts stress the difference in the fundamentals and team oriented skills, basketball IQ, spacing  and the many systems that are learned growing up in Europe and used in pro basketball over there. The specifics of this conversation are extensive, but there is certainly a huge tradition in the grassroots and fundamentals of basketball players in Europe at the youth levels.
 
I think one of the most valuable skills to have anywhere you play is to have a high basketball IQ and instincts, and to be a coachable player. This will help you anywhere, especially internationally.
 
Then you came to Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut and succeeded right away – team MVP in 2017-18, two All-Tournament Team honors (one as MVP). Did you have to make many adjustments in the United States?
 Honestly not really. I think I was probably quite a similar player as I was before in the United Kingdom at Derby. The level of confidence changed but I think my style of play was the same. The three-point line was closer in high school so that was an adjustment and the quarters were 8 mins (if I remember correctly) which was a bit annoying, but it didn't significantly change my game.
 
What did you work on in the summer after your first year to get more playing time as a sophomore? 
I actually did not get that much time to practice by myself because that summer I was practicing and played with the Great Britain U20 team for the FIBA European Championships. Maybe competing all summer made the difference, but I think also the process of adapting to the new University of Rochester system during my first year and being more comfortable and experienced with the sets and players made a big difference. This was just a gradual change.
 
Is there a game that sticks out in your mind from last season?
It would have to be either the home OT win against Case Western, which had a great atmosphere and crowd and was really exciting, or the win against Carnegie Mellon on the road where Kailan Lee hit the game winner on a really tough fade away shot.
 
When you are home, do you work with any youth programs – coaching, counseling, serving as an official or a timer? What do you like about doing that?
At the moment no. I only really go back for the summers now and my first summer back after freshman year it was all spent with the GB U20 and the national program. This is such an honor and amazing experience. Last summer I was stuck at home.
 
What led you to the University of Rochester?
I really wanted to play college basketball at a top academic institution, and they offered a really great winning program that also allows me to pursue a career in science. It also has a great international student population so it felt like a great transition for me. I also really liked the campus when I visited.
 
Why did you choose Biochemistry as your major?
I chose biochemistry because I am fascinated with the molecular and cellular mechanisms that make organisms work and their alteration in disease. My interests in science are varied and I still don't know what I would like to specialize in the future, but it would revolve around some biomedicine related field.
 
Are you involved in any campus groups tied to your studies?
 No not right now, but I am an organic chemistry workshop leader.