MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters gained another big man with a sweet shooting from the outside after acquiring Norbert Torres from TNT KaTropa in a one-on-one trade.
Painters gained the services of the former De La Salle University Green Archers center after trading away guard Celedonio Trollano to KaTropa. The deal was approved by the PBA Commissioner’s Office on Monday evening.
The 6-foot-6 Filipino-Canadian center is expected to be a huge addition to Painters’ camp along with fellow “stretch 5s” Beau Belga, Anthony Washington, Jewel Ponferrada, and Raymond Almazan.
Torres – now on his fourth team after previously playing for Magnolia Hotshots and Phoenix Fuel Masters – was part of the Gilas Pilipinas team that won gold in the 2015 Southeast Asia Basketball Association and the 2015 Southeast Asian Games.
Trollano, on the other hand, is also a welcome addition to KaTropa as he will add depth to the team’s forward rotation along with Roger Pogoy, Ilonggo Jericho Cruz and Anthony Semerad.
The 26-year-old Gigmoto, a native of Catanduanes, will also be reunited with fellow former Adamson University Falcons cagers Cruz and Alexander Nuyles in KaTropa. Curiously, all three started their PBA careers with Painters.
It was the second trade deal the two teams consummated this Philippine Cup after Painters traded Cruz to KaTropa in exchange for rookie Sidney Onwubere and Kris Rosales./PN
