12-man Gilas cadets lineup for PBA special draft
The Philippine Basketball Association required yesterday Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to complete 12 amateur players in the new Gilas pool so that they can be distributed one each to the 12 PBA teams in a special draft on Oct. 30.
The initial list submitted by the SBP to the PBA was comprised of 11 amateur standouts plus incoming PBA sophomore Almond Vosotros.
The amateurs are Mac Belo, Carl Bryan Cruz, Ed Daquioag, Russell Escoto, Kevin Ferrer, Jio Jalalon, Von Pessumal, Roger Pogoy, Mike Tolomia, Arnold Van Opstal and Matthew Wright.
Meanwhile, MVP Group top official Ricky Vargas said they’re still in the process of assessing the Texters’ performance in the 2015-16 PBA season in reaction to report that they’ve made a decision tapping Nash Racela to take over from Jong Uichico as TNT head coach.
“No decision has been made. Pati ako nagulat sa nabasa ko (I was surprised with what I’ve read),” said Vargas on the report that came out online.
Talks of Uichico being eased out of his job as TNT head coach were first heard after the Texters lost their bestof-five semis showdown with the Meralco Bolts.
The regular draft is also set on Oct. 30, luring over 40 hopefuls led by potential firstrounders Raphael Banal, Joshua Alolino, Chris Javier, Joeffrey Javillonar and Jonathan Grey.
The top pick in the 2016 Draft belongs to the Blackwater Elite.
Phoenix Petroleum is No. 2 with the draft rights the team earned from a previous trade deal with Star.
Third is Barangay Ginebra (from Phoenix), followed by Mahindra, Star (from GlobalPort), San Miguel Beer (from NLEX), Meralco, NLEX (from TNT KaTropa), Rain or Shine, Ginebra, Alaska and Phoenix (from San Miguel) to round out the first round.
Draft order in the second round is NLEX (from Blackwater), Rain or Shine (from Star), GlobalPort (from Phoenix), Meralco (from Mahindra), Alaska (from Globalport), Rain or Shine (from NLEX), GlobalPort (from Meralco), Phoenix (from TNT), Rain or Shine, Mahindra (from Ginebra), Alaska and Phoenix (from San Miguel).
The draft aspirants go through the Rookie Draft Combine (skills and agility tests) on Oct. 26-27 at the Hoops Dome in Mandaluyong before the Commissioner's Office makes the final draft roster.
Still uncertain is the draft order in the separate draft exercise among Gilas players.
PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa and SBP president Al Panlilio were to hold a press conference last night to announce the details of their memorandum of agreement.
The initial plan was to let the Gilas players drafted in the PBA but with the condition that they will be released anytime needed by the national team.
They will embark on a long preparation under coach Chot Reyes in a quest for another World Cup stint in China in 2019. They will also be targeting to make the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. —