MANILA – Three out of five Western Visayas-based players who submitted their draft applications were selected during the PBA Season 48 Rookie Draft last night at the Market! Market! in Taguig City.
Jhan McHale Nermal, a native of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, was selected by the NLEX Road Warriors in the second round of the rookie selection proceedings, where 79 out of record 124 applicants were selected.
Bacolod City’s Jan Gabriel Sobrevega was picked by NorthPort Batang Pier in the sixth round while Iloilo City’s Jeric James Pido was selected by the Terrafirma Dyip in the seventh round.
Also given an opportunity were Iloilo United Royals’ Lorenzo Navarro (fifth round by the Road Warriors) and Theo Joshua Flores (seventh round by the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters), and Negros Pau Muscovados’ Camillus Altamirano (fifth round by the San Miguel Beermen).
The Dyip, meanwhile, has made Filipino-American guard Stephen Holt as their top-overall pick followed by Christian David to the Blackwater Bossing, Luis Villegas and Keith Datu Jr. to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Zavier Lucerto to the NorthPort Batang Pier, and Kenneth Tuffin to the Fuel Masters.
Also selected in the first round of the drafting were Richard Rodger to the Road Warriors, Brandon Bates to the Meralco Bolts, Deschon Winston and Bryan Andrade to the Converge FiberXers, Cade Flores to the Batang Pier, and Taylor James Miller to the Dyip.
Aside from Nermal, also drafted in the second round were Kenmark Carino (Dyip), Bryan Santos (FiberXers), Henry Galinato (Painters), Raffy Verano and Ricci Rivero (Fuel Masters), Enoch Valdez (Road Warriors), Jan Louisse delos Santos (FiberXers), James Kwekuteye (Bossing), Louie Sangalang (Dyip), Ralph Cu (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings), and Adrian Nocum (Painters).
Picked in the third round were John Brylle Bahio (Dyip), Clifford Jopia (Bossing), Sherwin Concepcion (Painters), Matthew Daves (Fuel Masters), Brent Paraiso (Batang Pier), Dominick Fajardo (Road Warriors), Inand Fornillos (FiberXers), Jolo Mendoza (Bolts), Pat Maagdenberg (Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots), Kim Aurin (Kings), and John Troy Mallillin (Beermen).
Selected in the fourth round were Tommy Olivario (Dyip), Archie Concepcion (Bossing), JC Cullar (Painters), John Lloyd Clemente (Fuel Masters), Fran Yu (Batang Pier), Francis Giussani (Road Warriors), King Caralipio (FiberXers), Zachary Huang (Bolts), Rey Anthony Peralta (Hotshots), Franz Abuda (Kings), and Jayson Apolonio (Beermen).
Apart from Navarro and Altamirano, others drafted in the fifth round were Damie Cuntapay (Dyip), Dariel Bayla (Bossing), Larry Arpia Jr. (Painters), Daniel Atienza (Fuel Masters), John Amores (Batang Pier), Rhinwil Yambing (FiberXers), Jessie Sumoda (Bolts), Warren Bonifacio (Hotshots), and Brandrey Bienes (Kings).
Others selected in the later rounds were Ian Herrera, Johnnel Bauzon, Joemari Lacastesantos, Nikko Paranada, and Regie Boy Basibas (Batang Pier), Kamron Vigan, Raymond Binuya, Michael Comia, Andree Flores, and Jonathan del Rosario (FiberXers), Jboy Gob, Jayvee dela Cruz, Jamel Ramos, and Kyt Jimenez (Beermen), Kenneth Villapando and Enrique Caunan (Dyip), Jose Gomez de Liano (Fuel Masters), Shean Jackson (Bolts), and Christian Bunag (Hotshots)./PN
