MANILA, Philippines – Terrence Romeo, the Most Valuable Player in the just concluded UAAP season, made a surprise decision Friday, renouncing one more year of collegiate eligibility as he beat the deadline for submission of application for the 2013 PBA Rookie Draft.
Romeo personally entered his name in the draft pool in the PBA Commissioner’s Office two hours before the 5 p.m. deadline, thus, providing added depth in the roster of players joining the draft exercise on Nov. 3 at Robinson’s Place Ermita.
A total of 79 players applied for the draft where Barangay Ginebra and San Mig Coffee are to pick first and second.
Romeo is another crack guard added in the pool earlier dominated by big men led by Greg Slaughter, Ian Sangalang and Raymond Almazan.
Two days earlier, fellow UAAP standouts Jeric Teng and RR Garcia made themselves available for the draft, providing presence of talented backcourt players in the pool.
Curiously, Romeo, Garcia and Almazan are among those being considered for the Gilas cadet team to be fielded in the coming Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.
The question is whether the three would still pursue participation in the biennial games.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, through executive director Sonny Barrios, has a pending request with the PBA board to allow Gilas cadet players drafted in the PBA to still join the Phl team in the SEA Games.
Before applying for the draft, the 5-foot-10 guard from Far Eastern U was eligible to play for one more season in varsity ball.
He had a smooth transition from Baby Tam to Tamaraw in 2010, winning the UAAP Rookie of the Year award after being the UAAP Juniors MVP the previous year.
The complete draft order in the first round is Ginebra, San Mig Coffee, Rain or Shine, Barako Bull, Barako Bull, Barako Bull, Globalport, Alaska Milk, Rain or Shine and San Mig Coffee.
Apparently, at least two teams expressed interest on Romeo.
Other crack players in the list are RJ Cawaling, Carlo Lastimosa, Joshua Webb, Tata Marata, Justin Chua, Jeric Fortuna, Jett Vidal, Mike Silungan, Mark Bringas, James Camson, Dave Najorda, Nate Matute, Jester Apinan, and James Forrester.