60 aspirants join PBL rookie camp

Collegiate standouts and other amateur players are expected to showcase their talents when the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) holds its Aspirants Camp today at the Makati Coliseum.

More than 60 players have registered for the one-day camp,where ball clubs are expected to get a look at prospective players for the coming PBL draft.

Back-to-back champion Fash Liquid Laundry Detergent and Welcoat Paints, two teams in dire need of fresh talents following the exit of their marquee players, are expected to send their representatives to discover prospective talents for their rosters for the coming Unity Cup tentatively slated March 27. The session will run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cebu’s Neil Raneses and Adamson’s Mark Kong are some of the prominent players who have signified their interest to join the camp. Raneses, a 6-3 forward from the University of Visayas, is out to follow the footsteps of numerous Cebu players who made waves in the Big City, among them, Dondon Hontiveros, Dondon Ampalayo, Jojo Lastimosa and Manny Paner.

Several Fil-Am players are also joining the camp, with Welcoat eyeing Donald Dulay to fill the void left by Paul Artadi, who turned pro last month. Aside from Artadi, Welcoat also lost seven key players to the pro ranks.

To make up for the departure of their star players, the Paint Masters have already acquired the services of former PBA players — Chester Tolomia and Marvin Ortiguerra. They have also signed up guard Lou Gatumbato, a former Blustar player who is known for his lightning-quick moves.

Aside from players in the UAAP, NCAA and other collegiate leagues in Metro Manila, also expected to show up today are several players from Pampanga, Pangasinan and Cebu.

"We lost some of our finest players in the league but I’m confident we can discover new talents from this year’s batch," said commissioner Chino Trinidad. "Talents are almost everywhere." After today’s Aspirants Camp, the league will hold its Dispersal and Rookie Draft tomorrow also at the Makati Coliseum.

Meantime, the board has approved the request of Fash management to elevate four players from its farm team in Cebu to boost its present squad. The Liquid Power, backstopped by several Ateneo players, ruled the tournament last year.

The Fash management is now busy rebuilding the team following the departure of Larry Fonacier, LA Tenorio, JC Intal and Paolo Bugia, who will be joining a separate Ateneo team. Fil-Pacific Apparel Inc., makers of Jag Jeans, already filed a letter of intent to the Commissioner’s office to join the coming conference.

Rich Alvarez, Peter June Simon, Wesley Gonzales and Allan Salangsang, who played starring roles in Fash Liquid’s back-to-back title wins last season, are all playing for different ball clubs in the pro league.

In another development, ICTSI-La Salle has officially become the PBL’s fifth regular voting member. The Archers also filed a leave of absence for one conference but will be back in the second conference as they prepare for their title campaign in the UAAP.

Their non-UAAP eligible players will be dispersed among the participating teams tomorrow before the regular draft.