WHILE admitting it will be tough to pass up on Fil-Am guard and top prospect Stephen Holt, Terrafirma coach Johnedel Cardel said the team, which owns the first pick overall, needs big men in the PBA rookie draft this Sunday at the Market! Market! in Taguig.
“We are looking for a big man and kung puwede dalawa makuha namin na big man, kukuha kami ng dalawa,” Cardel said last Wednesday on the second day of the pro league Combine at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
“But some other guys na unknown players, nakita ko rin naman so magmi-meeting kami on Friday (today) to decide kung sino talaga iyong kukunin namin,” he added.
Cardel heaped praises on Holt, 31, a product of Saint Mary’s and NBA G-League veteran, but admitted the 6-foot-4 cager’s age could be a factor in their decision whether to tab him or not.
“Talented guy, age 31, 32 talagang ready to play na but for us dapat medyo bata pa like iyong sila Bates nga, ‘di ba?” posed Cardel. “Sila (Ken) Tuffin puwede sa team namin para lumalim iyong bench namin.”
A record 128 players have applied for the annual proceedings.
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 two-day event bannered by Ricci Rivero, Schonny Winston, Fran Yu, James Kwekuteye, Kemark Cariño, and YouTube sensation Kyt Jimenez.
Holt, along with 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 pre-draft activities.
Ditto with University of the East forward Luis Villegas, former Arellano forward Cade Flores, and former KBL import Christian David were also not in attendance.
Lucero, Andrade, and Villegas are all recovering from ACL injuries.
“Iba pa rin talaga kasi pag nakikita mo dito sa 5-on-5 kasi si Datu nakikita ko sa 3×3 pati si Bates gusto ko nga kasi makita rito kaya lang hindi sila naglaro,” Cardel said.
“Siyempre talagang big man iyong priority namin kasi Isaac (Go) is playing four, stretch four si Aldrech (Ramos) so I need talaga a guy na maglalaro sa ilalim.”
Blackwater picks next after the Dyip, while Rain or Shine takes the next two selections, followed by NorthPort, Phoenix, NLEX, and Meralco.
Converge takes its turn consecutively at Nos. 9 and 10, followed by NorthPort and Terrafirma anew.
