HOPING to improve their Philippine Basketball Association standing, Blackwater Elite selected what they deemed to be the “best talents” available in rookie draft proceedings held yesterday at Robinsons Place Manila.
The Elite first got Mac Belo from the separate “special” draft for Gilas pool players before tapping Raphael Banal as the first pick in the “regular” draft.
Blackwater hopes that with the selection of the two players they get to improve as a franchise in the PBA after averaging an 11th place finish in six conferences in its first two years in the local pro league.
Former Far Eastern University standout Belo was said to have been top of mind for the Elite when the PBA Board of Governors, after a lengthy meeting on Thursday, decided to “distribute” the Gilas cadet players in the special draft pool to each of the 12 teams instead of going through the motion of drafting.
Mr. Belo, who helped the FEU Tamaraws to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 78 title last year before parading his wares with the Gilas cadet, was a consensus choice as the best talent available in the 2016 draft batch.
He is expected to soup up the Elite’s front court with his ability to play both forward positions and his range on offense.
Mr. Banal, meanwhile, impressed in the draft combine held last week, combining size and good court sense playing the point guard position.
The son of former PBA player and coach Joel, the younger Banal is expected to figure in the Blackwater rotation immediately with the departure of leading scorer Carlo Lastimosa for NLEX.
“I’m thankful to Blackwater for selecting me. I’ll do my best to help them improve and will continue to work hard on my game,” said Mr. Belo following his selection.
“I’m really excited for being selected first overall. Looking forward to show what I can do,” Mr. Banal, for his part, said.
Apart from Mr. Belo, selected in the special draft were Carl Bryan Cruz (Alaska Milk), Kevin Ferrer (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings), Von Pessumal (GlobalPort Batang Pier), Russell Escoto (Mahindra Floodbusters), Ed Daquioag (Meralco Bolts), Alfonzo Gotladera (NLEX Road Warriors), Matthew Wright (Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters), Mike Tolomia (Rain or Shine Elastopainters), Arnold Van Opstal (San Miguel Beermen), Jio Jalalon (Star Hotshots), and Roger Pogoy (TNT KaTropa).
The rights for those drafted in the special draft cannot be traded and the players selected will not be allowed to be traded for two years.
All players will be allowed to play for the teams that drafted them but will be pulled out two months before an official FIBA tournament as stipulated in an agreement between the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. and the PBA.
In the regular draft, selected second in the first round was Gelo Alolino by Phoenix Petroleum, followed by Jammer Jamito (Barangay Ginebra), Joseph Eriobu (Mahindra), Chris Javier (Star), Rashawn McCarthy (San Miguel), Jonathan Grey (Meralco), Reden Celda (NLEX), Rain or Shine passed, Jericho De Guzman (Barangay Ginebra), Alaska passed and Jeffrey Javiillonar (Phoenix Petroleum).
