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TWENTY-FOUR of the country’s finest amateur
players, including two collegiate MVP winners, vie for slots
starting today as the Harbour Centre-backed PBL Selection holds its
first tryout at the RFM gym in Mandaluyong.
UAAP MVP Kenneth Bono of Cebuana
Lhuillier Pera Padala, NCAA Rookie and MVP winner Sam Ekwe of
Magnolia and PBL Silver Cup top player Jason Castro of Harbour
Centre lead the star-studded cast that hopes to win the country’s
first regional title after the lifting of the FIBA suspension last
month.
The exciting the 5-foot-8 Castro
will be joined by Harbour teammates JC Intal, Jonathan Fernandez of
National University, Silver Cup Finals MVP Chico Lanete, Chad Alonzo
and new recruits Beau Belga and Jojo Duncil.
Multititled coach Junel Baculi
said the final composition of the team that will see action in the
Seaba Club Championship Cup will be known Monday.
PBL Commissioner Chino Trinidad
is confident that Baculi, proud winner of five PBL titles and two
Asian Club championships, can form a team that is capable of
bringing the country back to the top of regional competition.
“In our own little way, we hope
can help recapture the country’s lost glory in basketball and
I’m confident that Baculi can form a competitive team,” said
Trinidad. “That’s why we’re sending our best players. I hope
this will set everything in motion.”
Trinidad said that Basketball
Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas,
headed by Manny V. Pangilinan, is now in the process of streamlining
the country’s basketball program in order to send the best
available team to every regional competition.
The country missed several major
tournaments, including the 2005 SEA Games and 2006 Doha Asian Games,
due to the FIBA’s suspension that lasted for almost two years.
Though Pangilinan has yet to give
his blessing to the participation of the team to the tournament,
Harbour Centre top honcho Mikee Romero is bankrolling the formation
of the PBL Selection.
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