Quality rookies led by CJ Perez ready to fuel Columbian Dyip

CJ Perez with Columbian coach John Cardel. Photo by Mark Giongco

Columbian has a lot of reasons to feel giddy with the arrival of CJ Perez, who is poised to provide the struggling franchise the jolt it needs to snap out of its longstanding funk.

But the former Lyceum ace and one-time NCAA MVP isn’t the only rookie the Dyip are raving about heading into the 44th Season of the PBA.

While Perez has all the makings of a future PBA star, his fellow newcomers JP Calvo, Jeepy Faundo and Cyrus Tabi have also drawn praise from Columbian.

“With the rookies, CJ, Calvo, Faundo and Tabi are great additions to our team. We got a pure point guard in Calvo and another guard in Tabi then, we have another big man in Jeepy,” said Columbian coach Johnedel Cardel.

“I told the guys this is a different team from the one that I handled last conference. The way the rookies are playing and practicing, it’s like they’re not rookies.”

The Dyip chose Calvo as the 11th overall pick while the Tabi was a surprise selection in the second round.

Faundo was actually picked by Magnolia in the second round but the former University of Santo Tomas center was left unsigned.

“I got a call from Alvin Patrimonio and he asked me if I need Jeepy Faundo. I said yes, I need a big man so we got him here,” Cardel said.

“I like what I see from the rookies. CJ, his slashing ability, his defensive ability, also JP he’s a very smart player and also Jeepy I like what I see with his rebounding and his toughness on the inside,” said guard Rashawn McCarthy, one of Columbian’s main options.

Tabi, meanwhile, was a relative unknown but not to Cardel.

Cardel knew exactly what he’s going to get from Tabi, whom he coached at Rizal Technological University.

“I know Tabi for a long, long time because he’s my player from Rizal Tech University and to me, he plays like a veteran.”