AFTER proving his worth for the Pampanga Lanterns in the MPBL, former Arellano University mainstay Archie Concepcion showed he is ready for the PBA yesterday.
With the sweet-shooting guard showing the way, Team NLEX turned back Team Phoenix 78-71 in the one-game final of the pro league draft Combine at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
The 6-foot-2 Concepcion bagged the MVP plum on the second day of the Combine and was joined in the Mythical Team by Ralph Cu, Adrian Nocum, Warre Bonifacio, and Jayson Apolonio.
In the three-point tilt, Kenneth Tuffin boomed in 15 points to beat Kyt Jimenez (12), Jolo Mendoza (12), and Jamel Ramos (9) in the final.
Tuffin also topped the eliminations with15 markers, followed by Mendoza with 13 points, and Jimenez and Ramos with 11 each.
Other hopefuls who joined were Ichi Altamirano, AJ Ventura, and Francis Giussani.
A former Far Eastern University standout, the 6-foot-4 Tuffin is making the jump to Asia’s first play-for-pay league after seeing action in the New Zealand pro league.
A record 128 players have applied for the draft set this Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Market! Market! in Taguig.
The number of applicants is a new pro league high, surpassing the previous mark of 97 for the 46th season draft.
The 31 Fil-foreign applicants is also an all-time high.
A total of 111 hopefuls joined the Combine bannered by Ricci Rivero, Schonny Winston, Fran Yu, James Kwekuteye, Kemark Cariño, and YouTube sensation Kyt Jimenez.
Fil-Am guard and top prospect Stephen Holt, 3×3 standouts Keith Datu and Brandon Bates, former University of the Philippines star Zavier Lucero, and Ateneo’s BJ Andrade failed to show up in the two-day event.
