THREE more players who traced their roots in Iloilo City joined the Iloilo United-Royals as the team’s roster slowly shapes up ahead of the 2019 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League tomorrow at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Iloilo City native Jessiery Pedrosa transferred to the Royals after previously playing for Caloocan Supremos, while Jason Li of Lyceum Pirates and John Bahari of Diliman College also signed up with the team.
They will join fellow Ilonggo players in the Eric Gonzales-mentored team in Aaron Jeruta, Jay Javelosa, Paul Reguera, Rhagnee Sinco, Gerry Antonio Abadiano and Andre Pantin.
Completing the 17-man team so far were Richard Escoto, Al Francis Tamsi, Cedric de Joya, Samboy de Leon, Rey Publico, Donald Gumaru, Ryan Arambulo and Jasper Parker.
Royals team owner Julio Jalandoni Javelosa said that they are aiming to fill up the 22-man roster by looking on the list of standouts from the two-day tryout held over the weekend.
“We are proud to announce that we will parade nine homegrown players to our team that is well above of the league’s requirement of three homegrown players per team,” Javelosa said.
Gonzales, for his part, said that the Royals team is expected to give their best every match even if they will be range against teams that have tapped the services of Filipino-foreign players./PN
