INQUIRER Sports

PUREFOODS COACH Ryan Gregorio, who will pick second in the PBA Draft this Sunday, is still torn between big man Rico Maierhofer and Fil-American point guard Chris Ross.

?Right now, our choice is a toss-up, unless of course Burger King suddenly decides to pass up on Japeth (Aguilar),? said Gregorio yesterday while attending the rookie camp conducted by the league for coaches.

?(Rico) Maierhofer is a great player, but we need a point guard to strengthen our backcourt,? Gregorio said. ?There are a lot of potentially great point guards that I see right now, and if we do go for a guard (in the Draft), I need to make sure that we pick the right one.?

Gregorio and Purefoods do not have a pick in the second round.

The other likely candidates for the second overall pick according to Gregorio are Chris Timberlake, Joshua Urbiztondo and former UAAP Jervy Cruz of Santo Tomas.

?From what I?ve seen of Ross, he is perfect for the PBA because he is big at 6-foot-1 for a point guard and can play defense,? the two-time champion coach said. ?But right now, his perimeter game is still suspect.?

Meanwhile, former two-time MVP Willie Miller is staying with Alaska, contrary to reports that the ace guard is opting out of the final year of his contract.

?We love Willie, and it?s going to take a lot of doing to get him out from us,? Alaska team manager and current board chair Joaqui Trillo said in a separate interview.