Welcoat opts for taller recruits

Welcoat Paints decided to go big and tall in its bid to go big-time on its PBA debut.

The Paint Masters yesterday named JR Clarino Reyes, Junjun Cabatu and NCAA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jay Sagad as the three players from their core team in the amateurs whom they are elevating to the pros.

The Welbest franchise formally submitted the names of the three to the PBA Commissioner’s Office yesterday.

Welcoat was allowed to bring in three amateur players directly with them as part of the concession given to the rookie franchise by the PBA Board of Governors.

Earlier, Welcoat was reported to be choosing among Reyes, Cabatu, Sagad, guard Ronjay Enrile and Samegui Eman as the players it will take directly to the PBA.

But in a determined bid to be competitive in its first season in the pro league, the Welcoat management deemed it best to build its team around these big men.

The 6-foot-7 Reyes is a shot blocking and rebounding artist who won a championship with the Letran Squires in the NCAA juniors. He played for the University of the Philippines Maroons in the UAAP.

Cabatu, on the other hand, is a 6-foot-5 banger and member of the La Salle team that won a pair of championships in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament the last five years.

Sagad also stands at 6-5 and was the star center of St. Benilde College in the NCAA. A former varsity volleyball player with the Blazers, Sagad shifted to basketball in 2002 and pulled off a stunning upset last year when he beat favorite Gabby Espinas of Philippine Christian U for the MVP award.

Aside from the three, Welcoat is hoping to tap other talents from the dispersal draft and the free agent market.

The dispersal draft will be held on Aug. 10 where the Paint Masters are allowed to get at least two players left unprotected in the pool by the nine active teams.

Welcoat also plans to tap the services of free agents who were part of their PBL team, among them Marvin Ortiguerra, Jojoy Tangkay, Eugene Tan and Gilbert Malabanan.

 The coming annual Rookie Draft set on Aug. 20 at the Market Market in Taguig is another option for the ballclub although the Paint Masters have no available pick in the first round.