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Sports

Singapore player suits up for Purefoods Giants

- Joey Villar, Nelson Beltran -

MANILA, Philippines - Al Vergara, the second Filipino player after Jason Castro to play with the Singapore Slingers, is seeing action with the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in the coming Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference while his Singaporean team is on break up to July.

The 5-foot-8 guard from St. Francis of Assisi College signed a short contract with Purefoods, becoming the Giants’ third new recruit after Don Allado and KG Canaleta.

Vergara was actually offered a year and a half contract by Purefoods but settled for a one-conference deal as he’s set to return to Singapore in July.

“We can’t just turn our backs on the Singapore Slingers,” said Danny Espiritu, Vergara’s agent/adviser.

Vergara was recruited by the Singapore Slingers after Castro decided to return home and join the 2008 PBA draft where he was picked No. 3 overall by the Talk n Text Tropang Texters.

Like Castro, Vergara, a member of the triumphant RP team in the 2007 Ratchaburi SEA Games, became an instant hit among Filipinos in Singapore.

He’s free to sign up with Purefoods, being an unrestricted free agent in the local pro league.

At Purefoods, he’ll be another option by coach Ryan Gregorio at point guard spot besides Roger Yap and Topex Robinson.

Purefoods got an opening in that position after giving up Chico Lanete as part of the three-team trade deal that had the Giants acquiring Allado and Canaleta from Burger King (formerly Air21). Lanete landed at Barangay Ginebra.

At Burger King, the revamp continued with the team signing up rookie free agents Eric Rodriguez and Mark Yee.

Rodriguez was a long-time mainstay of the Toyota Balintawak Roadkings who had a stint with the Harbour Centre team that won the 2007 SEABA Championship in Indonesia.

The 6-foot-4 forward out of Letran is known to be a banger who won’t back down from a fight.

Yee, meanwhile, is the first San Sebastian-Cavite player to make it to the PBA.

He drew raves in his stint with the Misamis Oriental team in Liga Pilipinas.

AL VERGARA

ALLADO AND CANALETA

AT BURGER KING

AT PUREFOODS

BARANGAY GINEBRA

BURGER KING

CHICO LANETE

DANNY ESPIRITU

PUREFOODS

SINGAPORE SLINGERS

VERGARA

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