Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Columbian, the league’s bottom dweller in the 2017-2018 season, formally made ex-g Lyceum star CJ Perez as the first overall pick in the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft Sunday ay Robinson’s Manila.
Perez has been on the Dyip’s radar as early as October the moment the former NCAA MVP signified his intention to join the draft.
Columbian finished with an overall record of 6-27 in the three conferences and it hopes Perez can bolster its squad that already includes a promising backcourt of Jerramy King and Rashawn McCarthy.
The 6-foot-1 wing led the Pirates to back-to-back NCAA Finals appearance including an 18-0 eliminations sweep in Season 93. Perez was NCAA MVP in Season 93.
Blackwater Elite went with Ray Parks at No. 2 while NorthPort Batang Pier bolstered their backcourt with former San Beda star Robert Bolick.
NLEX pulled off the early surprise by selecting Paul Desiderio as the fourth overall pick while Meralco chose Trevis Jackson at No. 5.
Former San Beda star Javee Mocon was picked sixth overall and went to Rain or Shine while the Road Warriors pulled off another shocker in the Draft when it took 6-foot-6 center Abu Tratter with the seventh pick.
Alaska also went with an unorthodox selection when it took former Lyceum three-and-D specialist Jesper Ayaay with the ninth pick while former San Sebastian star Michael Calisaan went to Magnolia as the 10th pick.
Columbian used its 11th pick in the Draft, the one it got from the Christian Standhardinger trade with San Miguel, to select former Colegio de San Juan de Letran guard JP Calvo with Phoenix rounding off the first round and picking up Jorey Napoles with the 12th overall pick.
With talent still in the pool, Rain or Shine used its first pick in the second round to get former University of the East forward Paul Varilla while Bong Quinto, a legitimate MVP candidate in the Season 94 NCAA basketball tournament, dropped to Meralco as the second pick in the second round.
Former University of Santo Tomas center Jeepy Faundo joined Magnolia’s loaded frontcourt as the 15th overall pick while Kris Porter, a former Ateneo power forward, was selected 16th overall and went to NLEX.
GBoy Babilonia, the son of former PBA player Gido Babilonia, was selected 17th overall and went to Alaska while Cyrus Tabi went to Columbian as the 18th overall pick.
Former Adamson University stars Robbie Manalang and Harold Ng both went to Rain or Shine as the 19th and 20th overall picks.
Alaska and Magnolia then passed on its second round picks but the Fuel Masters used theirs to take Ron Dennison and Joe Allen Trinidad, both from Far Eastern University, as the 23rd and 24th overall picks.