53 APPLICANTS EYE PBA STINT

53 APPLICANTS EYE PBA STINT

A total of 53 hopefuls led by potential top pick Japeth Aguilar made themselves available for Sunday’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig.

Other than Aguilar, the only amateur player to be included by national coach Yeng Guiao in the Powerade-Team Pilipinas bound for the FIBA-Asia Men’s Basketball Championship in Tianjin, China, the 2009 class also includes a pair of Most Valuable Player (MVP) awardees, a Finals MVP who played a key role in San Beda’s three straight NCAA men’s basketball championship, a gangling center instrumental in La Salle’s UAAP championship two years ago, a brother of Alaska big man Reynel Hugnatan and a slew of Fil-Am cagers including a nephew of Talk `N Text guard Jimmy Alapag.

The deadline of application ended last Friday, at least a week before the much-awaited event on August 2 that serves as the league’s first official activity for the 2009-2010 season.

Burger King owns this year’s no. 1 overall pick.

All 53 PBA aspirants had been split into four teams and will play in the two-day, eight-game schedule at the Caruncho gym in Pasig City that forms part of the traditional Rookie Camp slated on July 28, 30 and 31.

Teaming up with the 6-foot-9 Aguilar in Group A (yellow) are Pharex stalwarts Ronnie Mathias, Sean Co and Josh Urbiztondo, while PBL MVP Chris Ross, Roel Hugnatan and 2007 UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz spearhead Group B (white).

San Beda star Ogie Menor, La Salle stalwart Rico Maierhofer, Far Eastern University guard Benedict Fernandez and Oracle guard Chris Timberlake stood at the forefront of Group C (blue), while Group D (red) will be led by University of the East’s Marcy Arellano, Jose Rizal University’s James Sena and Kevin White, reportedly related to Alapag.

On the first day of play, Group 1 clashes with Group 3 in first game at 2 p.m., while Group 2 battles Group 4 at 4 p.m.

The final day of the camp is a crossover double header between Group 1 vs. Group 2 (2 p.m.) and Group 3 vs. Group 4 (4 p.m.).

The Rookie Camp starts on July 28 at the Club 650 gym in Libis, Quezon City from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be supervised by supervisor of officials Ramil Cruz where the prospective rookie hopefuls are subjected in terms of physical aspect, skills and strength evaluation as well as basketball drills.

Failure to attend the camp would automatically scratch the applicant from the final list of rookie picks to be announced by league commissioner Sonny Barrios on July 31.

There will be no camp on the 29th to give way to the coaching clinic to be conducted by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig starting at 2 p.m.

The complete rookie line ups are as follows:

Group 1 (yellow) – Aguilar, Urbiztondo, Co, Matias, Bryan Faundo, Marlon Adolfo, Charleston Bocias, Kim Macanig, Axel John Doruelo, Jim Viray, Luis Palaganas, Leemore Boliver and Glenn Bolocon.

Group 2 (white) – Cruz, Ross, Hugnatan, Filemon Fernandez III, Orlando Daroya, Richard Saladaga, Dino Daa, Robert Labagala, Jonathan Pinera, Jorel Canizares, Gerry Orera, Ramsey Williams and Jerome Cenita.

Group 3 (blue) – Menor, Maierhofer, Timberlake, Fernandez, John Walsham, Francis Allera, Jemal Vizcarra, Roser Mangahas, Jerby Del Rosario, Charles Water, Floyd Dedicatoria, Edwin Asoro and Jan Philip Villaver.

Group 4 (red) – Sena, Arellano, White, Michael Burtscher, Chris Viardo, Howard Saddi, Hafer Mondragon, Raymond Agular, Allan Evangelista, Andro Quinday, Emmanuel Malasig, Jobe Nkemakola, Mark Benitez and Jonathan Uyloan.