PBA Draft Focus: Meralco Bolts
Picks: (First Round) No. 4, No. 7
Meralco head coach Norman Black admitted the Bolts need improvement from almost every position following the team’s exit in the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals.
Fortunately for Meralco, it has two picks in the first round of the coming 2015 PBA Rookie Draft at No. 4 and No. 7 that could address some of its concerns.
The Bolts have added Jimmy Alapag, who is coming out of retirement, to their team in a three-team trade that also sent their starting guard last season Mike Cortez to Blackwater. Undersized forward James Sena was also shipped to the Elite.
The addition of Alapag is certainly a big plus for Meralco but the move still doesn’t guarantee the young franchise anything as far as going deep into the playoffs is concerned.
Black knows there is still much to be done to make the Bolts a championship contender. And it starts with drafting the right pieces.
With the fourth and seventh picks, Meralco can’t go wrong with the likes of Garvo Lanete, a proven scorer with a lot of experience playing internationally and in the D-League, and University of Perpetual Help guard/forward Scottie Thompson, who is the most versatile player in the class, if both are still available.
San Beda’s Baser Amer, who is still recuperating from a shoulder injury, Fil-American guard Maverick Ahanmisi and De La Salle big man Norbert Torres could be possible options as well.
Bottomline, the chances of getting quality players are high for Meralco with a couple of middle first round picks and a draft class that is relatively rich in talent and potential.
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