Tanduay to freeze Dondon

Tanduay coach Alfrancis Chua is hardly fazed by the possibility of Dondon Hontiveros not joining Tanduay Rhum in the coming PBA campaign, saying the Rhum Masters can compete even without the Cebuano hotshot.

If Hontiveros is not interested to play for Tanduay, Chua said "it's fine but he has to suffer the consequence of being put in the freezer in the next two years."

Chua made this remarks yesterday with Hontiveros still a no-show in the Tanduay practices with nearly a week now after the Lucio Tan Group franchise bought out the player's contract from the Cebu Gems of the MBA.

Tanduay acquired Hontiveros' contract on a deal reached by team owners Bong Tan of Tanduay and Jean Henri Lhuillier of the Cebu Gems. It's binding for two more years.

There were words that Hontiveros is still in Cebu and still hoping that he ends up with San Miguel Beer. Tanduay, meanwhile, left for Tagaytay yesterday for a two-day team buildup session.

Tanduay team manager David de Joya said they're not ready to negotiate with San Miguel as the ballclub management has given the coaching staff the authority to deal with Hontiveros.

Unlike Sta. Lucia with Marlou Aquino, Chua is not cramming to have Hontiveros in its lineup as the ballclub has practically all positions covered as it is. It has Jeffrey Cariaso, Rudy Hatfield and Pido Jarencio to alternate at off-guard.

This early, basketball experts now consider San Miguel Beer and Tanduay Rhum as the teams to beat in the season which fires off Feb. 20 at the Araneta Coliseum.

And the Rhum Masters have been living up to expectations with good results in pre-tournament exhibition games, including one against Red Bull and another versus Purefoods. -