FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball program has announced the signing of Joel Amaro. Amaro, a 6-7 guard, comes to the Nanooks after spending three seasons at Shoreline Community College in Shoreline, Wash.
"I believe the signing of Joel puts an exclamation point on a great offseason of recruiting," said head coach Frank Ostanik. "Joel will bring a high level of versatility to our program. His size, length and ability to play both sides of the ball will be a welcome addition to our team and provide great competition for playing time, which will ultimately make us better."
During his time at Shoreline, Amaro averaged 12.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Amaro appeared in 13 games during his first season in 2022-23, averaging 5.5 minutes per game, but saw his playing time increase to 28.4 minutes per game the following season. In 2023-24, Amaro made 23 starts for the Dolphins while appearing in 26 total games. He averaged 14.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He also tacked on an average of 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks. Last season, he started in all but one of the 26 games he appeared in, increasing his scoring output to 15.7 points per game and shooting 48.5% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. He grabbed 6.7 boards per game while averaging 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals. Amaro reached the 20-point mark on eight occasions during the 2024-25 season, posting a season-high 36 in a 79-67 win over Bellevue on Jan. 22. In the game, he shot 13-23 from the floor and knocked down two of his four attempts from deep. He added eight free throws on 10 attempts while grabbing six boards and tallying three steals.
"While Joel is certainly a very skilled and athletic player, I believe his best basketball is ahead of him and can't wait to get to work and help him reach his full potential as a player and young man," added Ostanik. "Rarely do you find someone 6'7" with his skill set and physical attributes. Joel will be a great addition to our program and our future."
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