Williams or Santos? SLR ponders options

Top rookie prospect Kelly Williams must have impressed Alfrancis Chua in the PBA rookie camp, prompting the Sta. Lucia Realtors’ mentor to carefully weigh their options on the coming amateur draft between the Fil-Am cager and Far Eastern’s Arwind Santos in the first round.

Chua, who watched the PBA aspirants up-close in the recent camp, took notice of Williams’ enormous talent and skills during the five-day clinics and said the management will have its final deliberation Friday or Saturday whether to stick it out with Santos or opt for Williams.

The PBA draft is set Sunday at the Market! Market! in Taguig.

Air21 board representative and team manager Lito Alvarez is hoping that Sta. Lucia would go for Williams so they can get Santos at No. 2 overall. The Lina Group of Companies franchise remains committed in keeping a roster of purely homegrown players.

Sta. Lucia may break similar tradition since the team is now considering to pick Williams.

"Actually, we’re not against Fil-Ams. We’re against Fil-shams," said Sta. Lucia team manager Ariel Magno. "Remember, we already picked what could be considered a Fil-Am in Alex Cabagnot last year."

The Sta. Lucia official also said it’s still unsure whether or not Cabagnot, the No. 2 pick last year, will return to play in local pro league. The PBA considers Cabagnot to have gone AWOL, and the player, who played in a US tournament recently, will face sanction upon his return.

If Sta. Lucia opts to get Santos, Alvarez said they would settle for either 6-foot-4 forward Gabby Espinas of PCU or 5-foot-11 guard Joseph Yeo of La Salle.

Coca-Cola may choose center-forward Mark Isip at No. 3 then San Miguel, which is to acquire Air21’s right for No. 4 in an imminent trade deal, may pick guard LA Tenorio.

San Miguel’s original slot in the draft order is No. 5 and the team may use this in picking Yeo if he’s still available then.

Next in the draft order is Sta. Lucia at No. 6 while Alaska Milk takes the next two turns. Purefoods picks next then Welcoat closes out the first round drafting.

In the second round, Welcoat picks first then Talk n Text, Sta. Lucia, Coca-Cola, Air21, Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola, Alaska, Red Bull and Purefoods.

The other top prospects in the pool are Boyet Bautista, Mark Andaya, Aaron Aban, Ronnie Bughao, Abby Santos and Mark Magsumbol.