Former NCAA MVP stars in Rookie Camp

IF THE OUTCOME of the PBA’s anual Rookie Draft were based purely on points scored, then John Wilson, no doubt, should be the No. 1 overall pick. Last year’s NCAA MVP figured prominently in helping the Blue Team sweep the elimination round of the PBA Rookie Camp yesterday with a 73-70 win over Team White at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. Wilson, a 6-foot-2 guard out of Jose Rizal U, averaged a camp-high 12.3 points after three games to overshadow the scoring efforts of top favorite Rabeh Al-Hussaini and 61 other aspirants. Air21 owns the No. 1 selection in the Draft to be held Sunday at the Market! Market! in Taguig City and is expected to exercise the option on the 6-foot-7 Al-Hussaini, the former UAAP MVP from Ateneo and last year’s Finals MVP. Al-Hussaini, who saw action for Smart Gilas Pilipinas team in the Taipei Jones Cup last month, logged a total of 33 points in three games but has been a force for Team White inside the paint. Filipino-Canadian Sean Anthony of Red Team tallied 30 points while Blue’s Josh Vanlandingham, another aspirant with foreign roots, and former Ateneo slotman Claiford Arao totaled 29 points each in three games. Vanlandingham, a great grandson of Olympic swimming medalist Teofilo Yldefonso, starred with Wilson against Team White after going seven for seven from the field, highlighted by a pair of three-pointers. Also helping Wilson and Vanlandingham in that match against Al-Hussaini and Arellano’s Gio Ciriacruz were power forward Raymund Aguilar, forward Fil-Australian Chester Taylor of UST and pivotman Mark Canlas, who combined for 28 points. Anthony scattered 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds while San Sebastian’s Jimbo Aquino and Arao had 10 and eight points each as the Red squad escaped with a 71-68 win over Yellow in the other game.  Anthony also had four assists and two steals.

After sweeping the four-game, single-round eliminations, the Blues takes on the Reds of Anthony, Aquino and Arao in today’s crossover semifinals.

The rematch is scheduled at 9 a.m. at the Ynares Sports Arena while White and Yellow mix it up in the other semifinal clash.
Other rookie hopefuls who shone on offense after the elimination round were Canlas (31 points), Aquino (28) and Ciriacruz (26).