Cardona goes to Meralco

MANILA, Philippines—Mac Cardona, the unorthodox and immensely intense Talk ‘N Text swingman out of La Salle, will play for new team  Meralco in the coming Philippine Basketball Association season.

 

Talk ‘N Text is shipping Cardona to its sister club using Air21 as a conduit with the Express, in return, getting point guard Josh Urbiztondo and the third choice of TNT in the rookie draft next week.

 

Cardona’s transfer was confirmed by Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio in a text message to scribes late Friday night.

 

Urbiztondo was an undrafted rookie last year with Sta. Lucia but played beyond expectations and finished second to Rico Maierhofer of Purefoods/Derby Ace in the Rookie of the Year race.

 

Talk ‘N Text has been left with the No. 4 choice in the Draft and without Cardona, its leading local scorer who, reports said, had feuded with head coach Chot Reyes all this time.

 

“Yes, he is,” Gregorio said when asked if he got a franchise player in Cardona. “He’s like James (Yap, his former superstar guard at Purefoods/Derby Ace) because he is an explosive scorer. He has incredible scoring ways and is hard to stop like James.”

 

On Friday, Meralco, which bought the franchise of Sta. Lucia, also signed up center Beau Belga also in a three-team trade that brought Ali Peek back to Talk ‘N Text with Air21 welcoming back JR Quinahan.

 

Gregorio said that the wheeling and dealing does not stop with the Cardona acquisition.

 

“We want to be competitive right from Day 1,” Gregorio told the Inquirer over the phone. 
Cardona led Talk ‘N Text locals in scoring in the Fiesta Conference with slightly over 15 points a contest.

 

Owning the first three picks in the Aug. 29 draft, Meralco  intends to use the first two to nab Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Nonoy Baclao.