2 crack Fil-Ams set to join PBA

MANILA, Philippines — Talented Filipino-American point guards Stanley Pringle and Chris Banchero beat the deadline for foreign applicants with Filipino roots in the PBA Draft and loom as the top choices for the No. 1 pick when the league chooses its new set of rookies on Aug. 19.

After seeing action with different teams in the Asean Basketball League, Pringle and Banchero now seek to take their acts to the PBA and both looked worthy of being tabbed first overall by the Globalport Batang Pier.

Pringle, the former Penn State standout, and Banchero, the ex-Seattle Pacific University starter, have the most glowing credentials among a handful of aspirants as registration for players with foreign blood closes Monday.

Homegrown talents have until the first week of August to declare their intention to turn pro with the likes of former Letran Knight Kevin Alas and ex-National University Bulldog and UAAP MVP Bobby Ray Parks expected to sign up.

Banchero was a deadshot while playing for Seattle Pacific, shooting more than 30 points seven times in his final season in Division II action.

He failed to finish the season because of an ACL injury, though. He played for the San Miguel Beermen in the ABL together with PBA MVPs Asi Taulava, Eric Menk and the 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo.

The Beermen won the championship last year before declaring their intention to disband their franchise.

In a related development, Globalport, the winner of the controversial Rookie Draft lottery conducted by league commissioner Chito Salud last Tuesday, Monday hailed the PBA board’s swift action in resolving the lottery issue. The Batang Pier also thanked Rain or Shine for its efforts in helping make a better PBA by calling for a tighter conduct of the rookie draw in the future.

The team was dragged into the controversy following a mental lapse by Salud during the short draft lottery program that elicited negative reactions from fans in social media. Rain or Shine management later demanded for a redraw and an investigation.

Members of the board of governors met in an emergency session last Saturday and unanimously accepted Salud’s apology while vowing to improve the process with transparency as its main thrust.

No Draft redraw The board did not grant Rain or Shine’s wish for a redraw and allowed Globalport to keep the No. 1 overall pick in the coming Rookie Draft.

“We would like to thank the PBA board of governors for the early resolution of this incident, and acknowledge the efforts of the Rain or Shine franchise to be one with the board in solidifying the integrity of the league,” Globalport team owner Mikee Romero said in a statement.