BY NOLI CORTEZ
FOR practical purposes, nearly all PBA teams passed up on
yesterday’s Apprenticeship Draft, opting instead for free agents to complete
their rosters for the Fiesta Cup starting this Sunday.
Ginebra, San Miguel Beer and Talk N Text were among the teams
that did not want to waste precious time familiarizing new players with their
systems and went instead for players who have been in their respective loops for
quite a while.
"We’re talking of just one conference, so we need players na
puwedeng pakinabangan kaagad. None better kundi ‘yung mga sanay na sa sistema,"
TNT coach Derick Pumaren said yesterday.
Losing players to the national team for the duration of the
season-ending tournament are Ginebra (Mark Caguioa, Rudy Hatfield and Jayjay
Helterbrand), TNT (Asi Taulava, Ren-ren Ritualo and Jimmy Alapag), San Miguel
Beer (Dondon Hontiveros and Danny Seigle), Red Bull (Mick Pennisi), Alaska (Tony
dela Cruz), Air21 (Ranidel de Ocampo) and Purefoods (Kerby Raymundo).
Noting the relative lack of talent among the aspirants, none
of whom come from the PBL, all of the concerned coaches have previously laid
bare their intention of passing up on yesterday’s scheduled Apprenticeship
Draft, turning it to a non-affair.
Instead, Ginebra will try to make do with replacements Rodney
Santos, Paolo Hubalde and Egay Echavez, SMB has Francis Adriano and Brandon
Cablay, TNT went for Jonathan Aldave and Egay Billones and Purefoods with Arnold
Gamboa.
Alaska will bring back Mike Cortez and Red Bull Mike Hrabak.
Air21 opted to stick it out with its remaining players based
on the rosters submitted to the PBA office yesterday afternoon.
"The remaining players should take the time to step up,"
noted Pumaren. "This is their golden chance to shine."
Unaffected and thus expected to figure prominently in the
import-laden conference are Sta. Lucia Realty, Coca-Cola and Welcoat.
Meantime, the Paints Masters yesterday formally signed Alex
Compton to a tournament contract that will pay the sweet-shooting guard a little
less than P300,000 a month.
In another development, SMB import Kelly Whitney is due to arrive next week,
well ahead of the Beermen’s tournament debut on March 9 against the Bulls.
