Baclig emerges as D-League top pick

MANILA, Philippines — AMA Online Education tapped unheralded young gun Reed Baclig as the surprise No. 1 overall pick while prospects Jamie Malonzo and Jaydee Tungcab went 2-3 in the 2020 PBA D-League Draft held at the league office in Libis, Quezon City yesterday.

Baclig, a 17-year-old point guard, was picked by the Titans ahead of La Salle’s Malonzo and UP’s Tungcab for continuity purposes being part of its grassroots program as St. Augustine standout in high school.

Malonzo then landed with D-League mainstay club Marinerong Pilipino while Tungcab was selected by Karate Kid-CEU ,which will have a new mentor in ex-NU juniors and Letran coach Jeff Napa.

Malonzo, a product of Portland State U, is coming off an astounding one-and-done career with the Green Archers in the UAAP where he normed 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds while Tungcab left a mark in the league as UP’s best two-way player.

Both collegiate standouts are also part of the Gilas Pilipinas 24-man training pool for the first window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers next month against Thailand and Indonesia.

Aside from Baclig, the Mark Herrera-coached Titans also tabbed Joshua Villamor, Christian Germino, Christian Camay, John Cris Yambao and Earl Bryan Ceniza as their core for the Aspiratns’ Cup, the D-League’s first conference.

Marinero went fishing and caught Joshua Torralba and Jollo Go of La Salle, UP’s James Spencer and UC’s Darrell Menina.