Sports

Former Jaspers star loving Portugal

Arturo Dubois has noticed a major difference between basketball then and now. When he was a student at Rice HS in his native Harlem, the powerful big man played for pleasure. Now, he plays for money – which is just the nature of the industry.

“Back when you’re 13 years old and all that, it was for fun,” Dubois said. “Now, it’s kind of a business. It’s your future. … I gotta feed my family.”

The former Manhattan College star, who transferred to Delaware State for his senior year, just finished his first season playing overseas in Portugal. He isn’t sure where he’ll be headed next season, but he definitely enjoyed where he was.

Playing for Cv. Alianca Sangalhos, Dubois averaged 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for a team that made the second round of the playoffs.

“The people make you feel really welcome,” Dubois said of Portugal. “I didn’t get home sick a lot. The food was great, too. It’s a beautiful country.”

Since he’s home for the summer, he’s doing some of that playing for pleasure again – and to keep in shape, too, of course. At Hoops in the Sun, Dubois scored 18 points to help the Sean Bell All-Stars beat Hoop Street, 103-95, on Sunday at Orchard Beach in The Bronx. This is his first summer with Sean Bell, which features mostly Queens natives.

“I always liked his game,” said coach Raheem Wiggins, who has known Dubois since he played at iS8 as a high schooler. “I always wanted him on my team. I knew he’d be a good fit for Sean Bell.”

He has certainly been that. With former Christ the King and Iona big man Justin Marshall, Dubois, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound powerhouse, gives the team a serious front line.

“I think he brings toughness, he brings heart and he’s gonna leave it on the floor,” Wiggins said. “He plays the game the way Sean Bell plays the game.”

Dubois, 24, graduated from Delaware State in 2009 with a degree in history after “needing a change” and leaving Manhattan. He said one day he could use that degree, but right now he said he’s young enough to keep playing basketball and that’s what he wants to do for the foreseeable future.

“I love the game so much, so this is all I know,” Dubois said. “As long as I’m blessed to keep playing, I’m gonna keep playing. I take it seriously.”

Doesn’t sound like someone who is doing it for business purposes.

“You can make a lot of money off this game, playing something you love,” Dubois said.

mraimondi@nypost.com