Teams announce Gilas recruits, pick from hopefuls in PBA Draft
The 12 PBA teams formally announce their Gilas recruits then go through the process of the regular draft in an important PBA event — the 2016 PBA Rookie Draft — at Robinson’s Place Manila starting at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The announcements of the Gilas distribution will be announced first by alphabetical order of teams starting Alaska Milk. Then comes the regular draft.
The biggest moment in the regular draft is for Raphael Banal, a former Ateneo Eaglet and Phl youth player who honed his skills in US college play with Victory U then Hope International, who is expected to get picked at no. 1 by Blackwater.
Blackwater owner Dioceldo Sy hopes a breakthrough in the next PBA season starting Nov. 20.
“With these two new drafts plus some trades and pickups, Blackwater should improve. I’m tired of being at the bottom these past two years. I think our time has arrived,” said Sy.
Phoenix Petroleum, which owns the No. 2 pick, is choosing between gunner Gelo Alolino and center Chris Javier.
Other top prospects are Jonathan Grey, Rashawn McCarthy, Jammer Jamito, Tristan Perez, Joseph Eriobu, Jericho de Guzman, Timothy Habelito and Ryan Arambulo.
The list of hopefuls was trimmed down to 41 (53 including the Gilas players) with the exclusion of 43-year-old, 5-7 Charley Caluya of UE and 6-2 Jordan del a Paz of Jose Rizal University.
The draft exercise will be ushered in by the awarding of a special plaque to outgoing board chairman Robert Non (San Miguel Beer) who will be succeeded by GlobalPort owner and 1Pacman party list Rep. Mikee Romero.
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