Top 3 picks in rookie draft already decided

SYDNEY—The top three picks in the coming Annual PBA Draft on Sunday have been decided here, with Barangay Ginebra to tab Greg Slaughter as first overall, San Mig Coffee to snag Ian Sangalang and Rain or Shine to tap Raymond Almazan.

At the same time, Barako Bull confirmed that it will take in Denok Miranda from Globalport and will give up one of its three picks in the first round—the sixth overall—to the Batang Pier, who are hoping that they can still get to Santo Tomas superstar Jeric Teng.

The Energy also own the fourth and fifth selections and will decide from among former Far Eastern stars RR Garcia or Terrence Romeo or high-leaping Filipino-American James Forrester from Arellano.

Globalport also has the seventh pick, while Alaska selects eighth and the Aces are training their sights on versatile former Ateneo ace Nico Salva.

The Elasto Painters have the ninth overall selection, while San Mig, which won the Governors’ Cup recently at the expense of Petron Blaze, will round out selection in the first round.

The Globalport-Barako Bull swap is expected to be completed on Draft Day itself at Robinson’s Place in Ermita, along with several other reported trades that involve the Energy’s picks.

Meanwhile, Salva is one of six former Blue Eagles in the list of pro hopefuls, and if all of them manage to get in, that would make Ateneo as the school that is most represented in the pro league.

Counting LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra and Larry Fonacier of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, Ateneo has 14 alumni with live contracts in the PBA.

Eman Monfort, another member of the multi-titled Ateneo crew in the UAAP, meanwhile, will find a new home at Ginebra after he was shipped by Barako Bull to the Gin Kings.