Ateneo guard Gian Mamuyac during Game 2 of the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball finals against University of the Philippines at Mall of Asia Arena. UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Basketball Association and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas on Sunday announced that four prospects from the Rookie Draft have been made readily available for the national cage program.
Ateneo’s Gian Mamuyac, National U’s Shaun Ildefonso, together with Arellano’s Justin Arana and University of the Philippines’ Javi Gomez de Liaño will be enjoying the landmark arrangement between the league and the cage body.
The announcement was made by national coach Chot Reyes, who is currently in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games, through a phone call with Marcial right before the annual event at Robinson’s Place in Ermita, Manila.
Arellano’s Justin Arana goes for a shot against EAC in the NCAA Season 97 men’s basketball tournament. NCAA PHOTO
“This will make things easier for the program and the league,” Marcial told reporters shortly after the phone call.
“This removes the tedious process of having to request certain players from their respective mother clubs,” he went on.
The four prospects will still go through the traditional selection process and unlike in the previous system where players were expected to serve the cage program for a certain period, they can now immediately suit up for their mother clubs.