Ex-Archers Allado, Ritualo reunite in TnT mega trade

Air21, letting go of its current star to make room for future top amateur picks, yesterday traded Ren-Ren Ritualo for Talk n Text even as TnT shipped Willie Miller and John Ferriols to Alaska for Don Allado in the biggest player trades in recent years.

But the Phone Pals appeared to have benefited more in the latest player deals and they hope to translate them into worthy performance for a possible surge into the homestretch of the PBA Philippine Cup’s classification round.

With a 5-7 (win-loss) mark, TnT is ranked third to last in a field of nine, just a game ahead of Air21 (4-8) and two games better than Sta. Lucia (3-9).

But with Ritualo, regarded as one of the pure shooters in the league, supplying outside firepower and Allado adding muscle underneath, the Phone Pals are expected to come up with a stronger finishing kick.

Allado, in fact, has started practicing with the Phone Pals yesterday.

Bringing Ritualo and Allado into the TnT fold, which also includes Mark Cardona, has also become a reunion of sort for the former La Salle cagers.

"I drafted Ren-Ren when I was still with FedEx," said TnT coach Derick Pumaren, himself a former La Salle mentor. "I was a consultant at La Salle when Don and Ren-Ren played together with Mac for one year."

"It’s hard letting go of Don," said Alaska coach Tim Cone. "He knows our system very well and he is a threat both on offense and defense."

Allado would fit well in the Phone Pals’ system — a player who can compliment and act as a reserve to Asi Taulava following the transfer of Yancy de Ocampo to the Express in exchange for the now injured Anthony Washington.

"Ren-Ren is the pure shooter we really need," said TnT board representative Ricky Vargas. "He can complement Jimmy (Alapag), Mac-Mac (Cardona) and Donbel (Belano) and add a real threat from the perimeter."

Miller, the 2002 MVP, will be joining his third team. He first started out at Red Bull before being traded to the Phone Pals late in 2003. He helped the Bulls win back-to-back Commissioner’s Cup titles in 2002.

Meanwhile, the Express also sent Patrick Fran to TnT for Leo Avenido.

Air21 Express team manager and president Lito Alvarez yesterday confirmed the deal with TnT, saying both squads will benefit from the pact in the long run.

But for many, Air21 has focused on the future with two first-round picks this year (its own and from TnT), three first-rounders in 2007 (its own, from TnT as a result of the Ritualo trade, and from Purefoods as a result of the Mark Pingris trade) and two more in 2008 (its own pick and from TnT as a result of the Ritualo trade).