Alaska is draft topnotcher

Of the 24 eligibles selected in the PBA draft at Robinson’s Place Manila last Sunday, Alaska came away with four picks to emerge as the topnotcher among 10 teams that went four rounds in sifting through the 34-man pool.

Alaska chose 6-2 3/4 Mac Baracael in the first round and 5-11 1/2 Eric Salamat, 5-11 1/2 Julius Pasculado and 6-3 1/4 Ariel Mepana in the second before trading its last pick to Meralco. Powerade, Barako Bull and Shopinas were next in the ladder with three choices each. Meralco, Petron and Barangay Ginebra tapped two apiece. Settling for one pick were Rain Or Shine, Talk ‘N’ Text and B-Meg.

There were no surprises in the first round as seven Smart Gilas veterans, UE hotshot Paul Lee, D-League MVP Allein Maliksi and rugged 6-5 1/2, 228-pound center Reil Cervantes – all shoo-ins – made their bows.

Pasculado, 24, was the first surprise of the draft. A virtual unknown from Wilbur Wright College of Chicago, the Cebuano impressed scouts with his shooting ability in the rookie camp last week. Pasculado was classified as a local, not a Fil-foreigner, because he was born in Cebu. He went to elementary school in Mandaue before moving to the US for high school and college. His parents Antonio and Marmi are both from Cebu.

Others named in the second round were Petron coach Ato Agustin’s son Marc of Adamson, the draft’s youngest player 21-year-old Ken Acibar of UE, 6-1 1/2 Paul Sorongan of UP, sharpshooter James Martinez of UE, the pool’s tallest player 6-6 3/4 Magi Sison of UP, Talk ‘N’ Text’s only pick 5-8 3/4 Pamboy Raymundo of San Sebastian, 6-4 1/2 Brian Ilad of La Salle and 6-2 1/4 Gilbert Bulawan of San Sebastian.

* * * *

Only two players were tapped in the third round, the first time the draft went beyond two rounds in six years. Shopinas named 5-8 1/4 guard Marc Cagoco of Jose Rizal and Petron chose 5-8 1/4 Fil-Am Felimon Fernandez who was born in Cisco, Texas. Fernandez, 29, played on the Fullerton College Hornets that posted a 37-0 record to win the California state junior college championship in 2005-06. The draft extended to a fourth round with Petron ending it by choosing the heaviest player 6-1 1/4, 230-pound Gerald Lapus of Arellano University.

The seven Gilas players who went in the first round were, in order, Jvee Casio, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Mark Barroca, Baracael, Jason Ballesteros and Dylan Ababou. Sison was another rookie pick with Gilas experience.

Ababou’s mother Rosemarie Rosales, who lives in Los Angeles, flew in last Tuesday to attend the draft. She plans to be at courtside for the FIBA-Asia Championships in Wuhan, China, on Sept. 15-25 before flying back to the US at the end of the month.

Ababou’s father Rashin is a professor in Sweden. His mother is now married to Frank Wooley, an American. She has lived in the US for the past 17 years and has a 16-year-old son Jason, a 5-9 football player, with Woolley. “When I was younger, I lived in France for about five years and that’s where I met Dylan’s father,” said the 56-year-old accountant. Ababou’s father is half-Moroccan and half-French.

Ababou played high school basketball for Siena College then blossomed into a UAAP MVP with UST. He led the Tigers to the UAAP title as Sixth Man of the Year in 2006 and was the league’s scoring champion in 2009. In the PBL, Ababou was named two-time True Gentleman of the Year.

* * * *

Easily the best-dressed players on draft day were Powerade’s Gary David and B-Meg’s Josh Urbiztondo who both came in suits with neckties. Urbiztondo particularly stood out with a glaring red tie and a dark suit. Catching attention was Meralco’s yin-and-yang combination with Sol Mercado wearing a grey coat and a black shirt and Mac-Mac Cardona wearing a black coat and a grey shirt.

Looking comfortable in the Barako Bull table during the draft was well-travelled Willie Miller, joking around with teammate Dorian Pena. Meralco’s Chris Ross showed up with a Bob Marley hairstyle. Powerade’s newly-acquired Doug Kramer wore a vest and a close-cropped Mohawk.

Among the girlfriends interviewed on TV by Angelicopter, Barroca’s soulmate Ruselle Alinea made the most impact. She cried while recounting how Barroca went through tests and trials to get to where he is now. Another girlfriend Jerlyn Pangilinan was all smiles, showing off her 2-year-old son Montae Izaiyah with Lassiter.

The undrafted players were Mark Ababon, Martin Antonio, Alvyn Cabonce, John Douglas Chamberlin, Chris Concepcion, Marvin Graebel, Julius Magbanua, Philip Medenilla, Nino Nabong and Ezer Resopa. They’re now free agents who can try out for any team of their choice.

In all, the draft show was a huge success. PBA commissioner Chito Salud welcomed the rookie picks and promised an exciting season ahead. It was the first PBA show handled by new TV coveror TV-5 which was awarded the league’s telecast and marketing rights up to the 2015-16 season.