MANILA, Philippines—The PBL board on Friday rejected Burger King's appeal to have Nigerian Sam Ekwe in its roster in the coming season starting on Oct. 25.

The board decided not to bend the existing rules which states only eligible players with UAAP/NCAA playing years would be allowed to play for the PBL teams which adopt the school, PBL chairman Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre said yesterday.

Although he played for San Mig Coffee in the previous conference as part of the Coffee Kings' tie-up with San Beda, the 6-foot-8 Ekwe has used up all his playing years for the Lions.

"Ekwe, being a non-Filipino, cannot play for any other team as the PBL is a Filipino league. His only hope is for him to be naturalized to be eligible for the draft," Romero said.

"Players who exhausted their eligibility either go back to their mother team or go through the draft."

"We just have to move on without Sam," said Burger King coach Allan Gregorio.

The Whoppers remain formidable even without Ekwe as San Sebastian stalwart Jason Ballesteros, Far Eastern U's Mac Baracael and the remnants of San Beda's NCAA champion squad are all in the fold.

Among the San Beda players eyed to beef up the Whoppers are point guard Borgie Hermida, swingmen Ogie Menor, JR Tecson and Bam Gamalinda and frontline players Jake Pascual and Dave Marcelo.

The Whoppers, third placers in the previous conference, also own the rights to University of the East's Marcy Arellano and University of the Philippines standouts Woody Co and Nestor David.