Who are the three new PBA prospects?

How many picks has NLEX inherited from Air21 now that the franchise sale has been formalized?

Due to conflicting media reports, the Inquirer sought clarification from NLEX team manager Ronald Dulatre Saturday.

His official statement: “Air21 only has one first round pick, either No. 3 or No. 4. With this addition to the current Express lineup, maybe NLEX will be competitive.”

But at what cost, literally? Everyone is now wondering. The reports are again conflicting—anywhere from P100 to P280 million. Neither NLEX nor Air21 would tell.

Apparently, some of the board governors are in the know, because when [former] Air21 governor Lito Alvarez said they would just reapply for an expansion franchise, another governor commented that they would no longer be accepted “because they made money on their original franchise.”

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It almost drove me nuts trying to figure out the identities of the three teams PBA chair Ramon Segismundo said are knocking on the PBA door. I had to beg him for clues.

The kind, soft-spoken governor of Meralco obliged.

“One is a consumer product, the other is a sister company of a member team, while the third is a returnee,” he said.

In desperation, I asked another governor, who further fleshed out the clues.

“One is a toothpaste,” he said, “the other is an agricultural product, while the third is a mall chain.”

Thank you dear governors. Now I remember. I even wrote about it in this column some issues back. The consumer product is Cecilio Pedro’s Hapee Toothpaste. The mall chain could be SM but it’s neither a returnee nor a sister company of an existing franchise. Robinson’s is more like it because it is owned by the Gokongweis, who once owned the Great Taste/Presto ballclubs and could fall under Segismundo’s category of a “returnee.”

It can also be the reapplying Air21.

For the agricultural product, my only guess is Agri-Nurture Incorporated or ANI, a six-billion-peso conglomerate which joined the PBL some years ago, and is said to be the sister company of Big Chill. But that team is in the D-League.  Before I lose my mind, I better and pass the guessing on to you.

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Who do you think is the sophomore Fil-Am cager being watched by Bb. Pilipinas-Universe MJ Lastimosa whenever she makes an appearance at the PBA Games?

A name has been buzzing around but the player’s agent denies they are romantically linked.

“They’re just very good friends right now, but if this friendship should evolve into something deeper, well and good.”

The agent admitted that it is the Fil-Am who gives the tickets to MJ.