3rd round pick Sumang signed for

Roi Sumang may have been picked in the third round by Globalport, but the former University of East star was given first-round pick status by the ballclub which has signed the 5-foot-8 guard to a two-year contract worth P2.7 million.

That shows how happy Globalport owner Mikee Romero is over the chance to have gotten Sumang who was left undrafted for two rounds until the Batang Pier coaching staff picked him second in the third round or the 26th player from the draft pool.

“He was a steal, a good steal, so we decided to sign him up immediately and he will get the salary of first round draftees,” said Romero who expects Sumang to take the spot of Palestinian Omay Krayem, the team’s Asian import, who is no longer with the team.

Romero said Sumang, known during his UE days as “Daredevil,” solidifies their backcourt rotation having earlier acquired the services of Joseph Yeo.

Erick Arejola, the team’s representative to the PBA’s board of governors, said they were surprised nobody took Sumang in the first two rounds considering the player’s distinguished college record.

Sumang and Yeo, Arejola said, will share playing minutes with Gilas Pilipinas pool member Terrence Romeo and last year’s No. 1 pick Stanley Pringle.

That may look as though there are too many guards in the lineup, but Romero said their roles will be clearly defined by coach Pido Jarencio to avoid chaos at the backcourt.

“We were told that we’re the most exciting team to watch last season because of our run-and-gun, gung-ho style of basketball,” Romero said. “For next season, we added a ‘Ninja’ and a ‘Daredevil’ to add to the team’s exciting style of play, plus veteran big guys that we need to finish the game.”

“Getting Roi Sumang in the third round was a blessing, signing him for the team is a destiny for both Roi and for Globalport. Roi will play a vital role for the team’s core rotation,” said team manager Bonnie Tan. “We didn’t have a pick in the first and second rounds, but we felt like we have a first round pick with Roi in our team.”

Meanwhile, Globalport also bolstered its lineup by drafting Fil-Am Ryan Wetherell in the fourth round, further giving Jarencio more pieces to work around in aiding the Batang Pier to a deeper run in the playoffs.