Mac Belo at the 2016 PBA Draft Combine. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
After exploring several options in how to tap members of the Gilas Cadet pool in the coming PBA Draft, the teams Thursday performed their special selection process with Blackwater grabbing gunslinger Mac Belo No. 1 overall.
Phoenix Petroleum got Fil-American Matthew Wright and Barangay Ginebra, the new Governors’ Cup champion, snagged talented former Santo Tomas gunner Kevin Ferrer as team representatives practically did away with the natural picking order.
The other Cadet pool members tapped during the marathon special meeting among team representatives will be bared this Sunday during the Draft proper at Robinsons Place in Manila.
READ: PBA teams make Gilas selections; Belo goes to Blackwater
AOther members of the Gilas pool who were already selected will also be announced on Sunday and in the teams’ alphabetical order.
The only thing that remained constant during the discussions was that Blackwater selected first.
At the same time, a very reliable source told the Inquirer that three teams have yet to make up their minds, leaving Von Pessumal and two others on the table.
Alaska, GlobalPort and TNT KaTropa are the teams yet to decide on their selections and would likely wait until the Draft proper.
Blackwater has a great chance of rebuilding its franchise, with the Elite to have at least four of the 42 aspirants in practice today. Among them is Raphael Banal, whom they would want to see up close before deciding.
A separate Blackwater source said team owner Dioceldo Sy was “ecstatic” after tabbing Belo, and is elated at the prospect of having the likes of Banal available in the Draft proper.
Banal has the distinction of being the first Filipino to come from a local high school and enrolling straight in a US college to play collegiate ball, starring for Victor University for two years starting in 2012.
The 6-foot-2 point guard opted out of Ateneo after a great high school career and Philippine Youth Team participation together with Kiefer Ravena.
Banal will be coming into the Draft as a potential star because of his point guard skills and great outside range.
“Blackwater will definitely revolve around Belo,” the source told the Inquirer. “But at the same time, Mr. (Dioceldo) Sy is very happy that they have a chance to tap another potential franchise player, that’s why they want to see the prospects up close.”