INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Likely top pick plus two other collegiate standouts have signed up for the PBA Rookie Draft set on August 22. .

La Salle stalwart Rico Maierhofer, who decided to forego his final year of eligibility in the UAAP, formally made himself available for the pro league late Monday along with University of the East’s Marcy Arellano and University of Santo Tomas’ Francis Allera.

A 6-foot-5 Puerto Galera native, Maierhofer had a successful five-year amateur stint with the Green Archers in the UAAP and Harbour Centre/Oracle in the PBL.

“He’s a very athletic big man who plays center but might have to slide down to one of the forward slots in the PBA,” said San Miguel guard Olsen Racela, who covers the PBL as a television analyst. “He’s a great weak-side defender and shotblocker and he can run the floor very well.

“The problem is he might find small forwards too quick to defend and give up a lot of bulk against bigger forwards, but then he could also use those weaknesses to his favor on the other end of the floor.”

Maierhofer posted a double-double average of 13.1 points and 10.1 rebounds on top of 1.7 assists and 1.2 blocks in the UAAP last season.

Arellano, a 5-foot-10 guard, led the Warriors to the UAAP Final Four in the last five seasons and in the 2007 Finals. The 2004 Rookie of the Year averaged 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals on his final year.

“Marcy is more of a ‘two’ guard who thrives in the open court and has a lot of range with his jump shot,” said Racela. “He’s going to excel in teams that love to run like Burger King. He has played the point in the amateurs, something that he might have to do a lot in the PBA because of his size.”

Allera, who Racela describes as a “good on-ball defender with good range for someone his size,” was also among the players who helped UST capture the 2006 UAAP championship. The 6-foot-4 swingman normed 9.9 markers and 5.6 boards last season.