PBL opens shop tomorrow

Forty-one rookies try to upstage one another and make good impression when the new season of the Philippine Basketball League kicks off tomorrow with the PBL PG Flex Linoleum Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig.

“This is perhaps the biggest entry of rookies in the league,” said league commissioner Chino Trinidad in yesterday’s press conference at Gerry’s Grill in Libis, Quezon City. “As I said before, the PBL will always be here to help nurture the talents of the players.”

Fil-Am Chris Ross leads the roster of newcomers hoping to make an impact in the country’s premier amateur league after he was picked first overall by Pharex in the recent rookie draft.

“I’m excited to play here in the Philippines, I’m happy with the team I am with right now,” said the 6-4, 23-year-old Ross, who played for Marshall U in the US NCAA Division I.

“I can shoot, play defense and run, I can help my team in different ways,” said Ross.

Fil-Ams Lance Convento and Joshua Vanlandingham of Hapee Toothpaste, brothers James and Allan Mangahas of Toyota Otis, Jonathan Banal of Magnolia Purewater, Paul Lee and Orlando Daroya of Bacchus and Ian Mazo of Pharex are the other rookies to watch.

Far Eastern U’s Andy Barroca, Aldrech Ramos, JR Cawaling and Reil Cervantes will also make their debuts with five-peat champion Harbour Centre after the Mikee Romero-owned franchise picked the Tams as their adoptive school.

“We’re happy that these players would be playing in the league,” said Romero, also the man behind the revival of the Women’s Philippine Basketball League, also set to open tomorrow.

The Batang Pier open their six-peat bid against Ross and the Pharex Medics at 2 p.m. followed by the WPBL’s Nutri-C-Ateneo’s duel with arch-rival Sunkist-La Salle at 4 p.m.

The new batch of players will also honor the league’s former stars who are now in the PBA, including three-time MVP Jason Castro of Harbour and Gabe Norwood of Hapee. Also to be cited are Mark Borboran and Larry Rodriguez of Hapee, Sol Mercado, TY Tang, Chad Alonzo, Beau Belga, Jonathan Fernandez, Rob Reyes and Jeff Chan of Harbour, Bonbon Custodio and Pong Escobal of Magnolia, Nat Cruz of Bacchus, Lawrence Bonus of BK, Cholo Villanueva of Toyota and Kelvin dela Peña of Noosa Shoes.       – Joey Villar