Belo, Banal Blackwater top picks in PBA draft

MANILA, Philippines - Blackwater owner Dioceldo Sy, this early, is looking forward to a breakthrough in the coming PBA season as they are set to land prized catches in Mac Belo and Raphael Banal in the 2016 PBA Rookie Draft at Robinsons Place Manila starting at 4 p.m. today.

Belo, easily the most outstanding player in the 2016 draft class, is Blackwater’s choice from among the Gilas players while Banal will be chosen No. 1 overall in the regular rookie draft.

“With these two new drafts plus some trades and pickups, Blackwater should improve. I’m tired of being at the bottom these past two years. I think our time has arrived,” said Sy.

The two-hour draft proceedings will be ushered in by the awarding of a special plaque to outgoing PBA board chairman Robert Non who is to be succeeded by GlobalPort owner and 1Pacman party list Rep. Mikee Romero.

Then comes the announcement of the Gilas picks of the 12 teams by alphabetical order starting with Alaska Milk, followed by Barangay Ginebra, Blackwater, GlobalPort, Mahindra, Meralco, NLEX, Phoenix Petroleum, Star, San Miguel Beer, TNT KaTropa and Rain or Shine.

Kevin Ferrer is said to be going to Ginebra, Russell Escoto to Mahindra, Roger Pogoy to Meralco, Ed Daquiaog to NLEX, Matthew Wright to Phoenix, Mike Tolomia to Rain or Shine, Arnold Van Opstal to San Miguel Beer, Bryan Carl Cruz to Alaska, Von Pessumal to GlobalPort, Jio Jalalon to Star and Alfonso Gotladera to TNT KaTropa.

Changes, however, can be made until this morning.

Forty-one players hope to hear their names called in the regular draft.

The Blackwater management and coaching staff have decided to make Banal the first pick while Phoenix Petroleum, at No. 2, is choosing between wingman Gelo Alolino and frontcourt player Chris Javier.

The rest of the PBA teams await the decision of coach Ariel Vanguardia and his team.

Barangay Ginebra is third in the draft order with the draft rights earned from a past trade deal. Next is Mahindra then Star (from GlobalPort), San Miguel Beer (from NLEX), Meralco, NLEX (from TNT KaTropa), Rain or Shine, Ginebra, Alaska and Phoenix (from San Miguel).

NLEX (from Blackwater) is No. 1 in the second round followed by 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).

“We’re prioritizing size and then looking to fill a wing spot or tap in the best available talent depending on how the top three teams in the draft choose,” said Mahindra coach Chris Gavina.

“We have the seventh pick so we have to wait and see who is available. My preference would be to take the best talent or best available shooter,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.

Star is looking to shore up its forward lineup while Rain or Shine is in search of a big man.

A total of 55 players applied for the draft but Charley Caluya failed the fitness test while Jordan dela Paz was a no-show in the required two-day camp for the rookies.

Javier, a 6-foot-5 center out of University of the East, banners the cast of big men including Mapua’s Joseph Eriobu and Jessie Saitanan, NU’s Tristan Perez and John Eman, UE’s Jairold Flores, St. Benilde’s Jericho de Guzman and St. Clare’s Raymond Jamito and John Ambulodto.

Top prospects among guards and forwards are Jonathan Grey, Rashawn McCarthy, John Pontejos, Joeffrey Javillonar, Reden Celda and Mikee Reyes.

Banal, however, will take the spotlight as the top pick.

A former Ateneo Eaglet who played college ball in the United States, Raphael is to follow in the footsteps of his father Joel (Great Taste) and brother Gab (GlobalPort) who had had their PBA stints.