PBA draft lures best, brightest

A record number of hopefuls, including the finest and brightest from the MBA and the PBL, signed up for the coming PBA annual draft, assuring the country’s premier pro league a bumper crop of fresh talents in its 28th season set to start Feb. 3.

The core of the national team that reigned supreme in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the cream of the PBL and a slew of Fil-Ams were among the total of 81 players who applied for the draft.

It’s the largest in terms of quantity since the draft was first introduced in 1985 and many basketball experts were saying it could also be the best in terms of quality since Asi Taulava, Dan Seigle and company joined the exercise in 1999.

Romel Adducul and Yancy de Ocampo, the biggest names in the MBA and the PBL, respectively, lead the list.

Adducul together with Omanzie Rodriguez, Ercito Victolero, Chris Calaguio, Jeffrey Flowers, Rafi Reavies and Chris Clay practically bid the MBA adieu while De Ocampo together with Mike Cortez, Renren Ritualo, Jojo Manalo, Celino Cruz, Frederick Canlas, Leonides Avenido and Reinier Sison bid the PBL goodbye as they applied for the 2002 PBA draft slated Jan. 13 at the Glorietta in Makati.

Tanduay owns the first pick overall and could well use the rights either on Adducul, De Ocampo or Clay.

The 27-year-old Adducul, Danny Ildefonso’s contemporary in the PBL who opted to have a stint first in the MBA before knocking at the PBA door, proved to be a strong force in the MBA, winning championships for the Manila Metrostars and the Batangas Blades. De Ocampo, younger and taller at 6-foot-8, stamped his class in the collegiate leagues with St. Francis of Assisi College and in the PBL with Welcoat Paints. Clay, meanwhile, is hailed by many, including national coach Ron Jacobs, to be the second coming of Eric Menk.

However, Clay and the other Fil-Ams, including Flowers and Reavies, are required to submit Bureau of Immigration and Department of Justice documents on or before Jan. 8 to be eligible for the draft day.

Adducul, who is currently on a holiday trip to the United States, filed his draft application through his agent Ed Ponceja. The 6-foot-6 player needs to submit release papers from the MBA.

Ponceja said he sees no problem getting the documents from the MBA since they have the blessing of the league bigwigs in their move to join the PBA draft. Actually, Adducul still has a live contract with the Blades.

Twenty-five MBA players, 21 PBL campaigners and 15 Fil-Ams applied for the draft.

Other MBA hopefuls are Junel Mendiola, Wilfredo Mejia, Arnel Santos Manalac, Jerome Barbosa, Danilo Capobres, Paulo Malonzo, Jerrico Allen, Homer Se, Francis Aquino, Christian Nicdao, John Alwyn Flores, Rensy Bajar, Chris de Jesus, Sonny Manucat, Bernard de Guia, Dexter Racho and Richard Melencio.

Other aspirants from the PBL are Francis Sanz, Eugene Tan, Alvin Castro, Edrick Ferrer, Brandon Sison, Aris Dimaunahan, Jacques Gottenbos, Edwin Bacani, Gilbert Malabanan, Jason Misolas, William Moody, Miguel Noble and Chester Tolomia.

Aside from Clay, Flowers and Reavies, other Fil-Am applicants are Sunny Boy Margate, Clifton Claybrooks, Philip Newton, Jim Alapag, Jerrico Allen, Richard Hardline, Jason Herkey, Robert James Johnson, Francis Rauschmayer, Tom Aceno, Leodito Yanogacio and Kelani Ferreira.

There are also nameless hopefuls in Glen Alatraca, Dennis Sanby, Dennis Reyes, Albert Paz, Art Agustin, Richard dela Pena, John Victorio, Julius Cesar David, Vincent Silo, Paolo Roldan, Irvinco Hufano, Nathaniel Gonzales, Elwyn Sotto Luyun, Orlando Eparwa, Fortunate Payne, Stephen Tampus, Francis Machica, William Villa and Marc Caguco.

Chiqui del Rosario, the agent-adviser of Mark Caguioa, filed the application papers of Machica, Villa, Caguco, Alapag and Tampus.