MANILA – NorthPort Batang Pier signed their top rookie selections Jamie Malonzo and Troy Rike to multi-year contracts ahead of the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season.
Batang Pier team manager Bonnie Tan told Panay News that Rike was given a two-year contract on Monday while the Malonzo’s rookie deal was not disclosed.
Malonzo – NorthPort’s second overall pick during the PBA Rookie Draft last month – was thankful that he is now part of the team.
“I have to tip my hat to NorthPort for getting the deal done under these circumstances,” said the 6-foot-6 former De La Salle University Green Archers big man. “I’m happy and this is one less thing to worry about.”
The 24-year-old Malonzo was projected as one of the top picks in the deepest class in years after his impressive one-and-done stint with La Salle where he earned the UAAP Season 82 Mythical Team honors.
Rike, on the other hand, was grateful for his rookie deal. He looks forward to teaming up with Gregory Slaughter, who was acquired in a trade with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel earlier this year.
“[Slaughter] had a ton of success. Obviously, as a big, you always want to learn from someone like him. So I think it’s a great opportunity where I can learn from him as a center,” the 6-foot-8 Rike said. He was the team’s no. 11 overall pick in the last rookie draft.
While Malonzo and Rike were given rookie deals, NorthPort’s other rookie selections Mark Olayon, Loren Brill, Marvin Moraga, Carl Bryan Ravanes, Seraj Elmejrab, Jonico Rosales, and Jonathan Mendoza were not signed.
The team is now aiming to bounce back from a one-win campaign in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup./PN
