Casio top pick; clubs take 24 rookies

MANILA, Philippines - As expected, Powerade made JV Casio the No. 1 pick of the 2011 PBA Draft.

As well as the others who were drafted after him, yesterday’s lively affair at Robinson’s Place in Ermita offered no surprises.

Casio rose from his chair and smiled after his name was announced. Then he swapped high fives with some of his 33 fellow draftees.

“I still can’t believe it but it has just happened,” said Casio after he got off the stage, and was officially welcomed by his new team.

“I really can’t believe that I’m here,” added the stalwart, actually now the former stalwart, of Smart Gilas Pilipinas.

At 5-foot-9, Casio is perhaps the smallest top pick ever since the PBA started drafting rookies in 1985. The honor normally is reserved for the big men.

“That’s even more flattering,” said Casio, also the fourth player from La Salle to land as the top pick after Jun Limpot (1993), Noli Locsin (1994) and Mike Cortez (2003).

Landing second in the drafting was Paul Lee who went to Rain or Shine, followed by Chris Lutz for Petron, Marcio Lassiter for Powerade, Mark Barroca for Shopinas, Mac Baracael for Alaska, Jason Ballesteros for Meralco, Allain Maliksi for Barako Bull, Reil Cervantes for Ginebra and Dylan Ababou for Barako Bull.

That’s how the first round went.

It’s the first time in the PBA, too that the top two picks play the guard position. Aside from Casio, only other guards who ended up as top picks were Paolo Mendoza (2000), Willie Miller (2001) and Cortez.

“Getting Lassiter at number four was a bonus for us,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol of his gem of a rookie in the prolific shooting guard from Smart Gilas.

Picked in the second round were Magi Sison for Shopinas, Pamboy Raymundo for Talk N Text, Erik Salamat for Alaska, Julius Pasculado for Alaska, Ariel Mepana again for Alaska, Brian Ilad for B-Meg, Gilbert Bulawan for Meralco, James Martinez for Ginebra, Ken Acibar for Barako Bull, Paul Sorongan for Barako Bull and Marc Agustin for Powerade.

Teams started passing up in the third round with Marc Cagoco landing with Shopinas and Felimon Fernandez with Petron, and also in the fourth and final round where Gerald Lapus rounded out this year’s draftees with Petron.

All in all, 24 of the 34 draftees were picked.

There was a lot of wheeling and dealing that took place on the D-Day, almost leaving the pre-arranged drafting order in a shambles.

But the biggest was that between Petron and Barako, involving a couple of marquee players, and draft picks that won’t come until 2014.

Petron, the newly crowned Governors Cup champion, acquired Dondon Hontiveros, Carlo Sharma and Lutz from Barako Bull, which in turn got Mick Pennisi and Sunday Salvacion on top of a first-round draft and whoever Petron picks in the second round in 2014.

It’s a sweet homecoming for Hontiveros, who was in Cebu, probably unaware of the development. When he returns to Manila tomorrow, he’ll be reporting directly to Petron, actually his old home when it carried the San Miguel banner.

The same goes with Pennisi who will return home to Barako Bull, the George Chua-owned franchise that took him in 11 years ago.

Trades were also consummated between Talk N Text and Meralco, sending Shawn Weinstein and Bam Gamalinda to the Tropang Texters. Meralco used the bait to pick Ballesteros in the first round.