Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc in their early days in the PBA. Photo from the PBA website
MANILA, Philippines — Two-time PBA MVP Benjie Paras and former ace point guard Ronnie Magsanoc headline the nominees to be inducted to the 2013 PBA Hall of Fame, the league announced Wednesday.
In a meeting earlier in the day, the selection/nomination committee also named former PBA stalwarts Lim Eng Beng and Arnie Tuadles, import Sean Chambers, coach Ed Ocampo, PBA official Elmer Yanga, referee Igmidio Cahanding and media man Fred Luarca to the list.
Sports commentator Quinito Henson, who serves as chairman of the group, is convinced that they came up with a “strong consensus” in identifying the nominees.
“The players are cream of the crop. It’s a very strong consensus,” Henson said in a statement.
The fifth PBA Hall of Fame ceremony is scheduled either during the opening of the 2013-14 PBA season in August or in a separate event before that.
Paras is a cinch to lead the next batch of inductees with his fabled career, making an impact as early as his first year by nabbing the Rookie of the Year and MVP citations in 1989.
Thirty six esteemed individuals were previously inducted into the Hall of Fame – Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Norman Black, Danding Cojuangco, Bobby Parks and Allan Caidic, among others.
PBA officials Rickie Santos and Willie Marcial, sports columnists Dennis Principe, and PBA Press Corps president Musong Castillo, Magsanoc and Paras, representing players, complete the selection/nomination committee.