Draft down to size

There were 95 applicants for the PBA rookie draft set at Robinson’s Place Manila this afternoon. A few days ago, the PBA released the final list of 87 eligibles, still a record high in league history. Struck out were four withdrawals – Keith Agovida of Arellano, Justine Alano of Perpetual, Jan Jamon of EAC and Michael Juico of San Sebastian – and four unexcused no-shows in the two-day draft combine – Arnold Adormeo of the University of Mindanao, Philip Coronel of St. Clare Caloocan, Ritchie Paul Gutierrez of La Salle and Flavio Liaz of Perpetual. While Gutierrez (son of actor Eddie and Annabelle Rama) listed his school as La Salle, he never played for the Green Archers varsity. Agovida once scored 82 points in an NCAA juniors game.

Before the PBA sized up the rookies in official measurements, 25 claimed to be 6-4 and over. The “big” list is now down to 12. The lengthy dozen are 6-6 1/2 Prince Caperal of Arellano, 6-6 1/4 Jefferson Morillo of TIP, 6-5 1/2 Jeff Montemayor of Jose Rizal, 6-5 1/3 Kyle Pascual of San Beda, 6-5 1/4 John Montemayor of Jose Rizal, 6-5 Papot Paredes of La Salle, 6-4 3/4 John Foronda of Letran, 6-4 3/4 Andrew Avillanoza of the University of the Visayas, 6-4 1/2 Frank Golla of Ateneo, 6-4 1/2 Raul Soyud of Adamson, 6-4 1/4 Anthony Semerad of San Beda and 6-4 Matt Ganuelas of N-Lex via California Polytechnic at Pomona.

Delisted from the “big” cast were 6-3 1/2 Rene Pacquiao of Southwestern, 6-3 Jovet Mendoza of La Salle, 6-3 3/4 Rodney Brondial of Adamson, 6-3 2/3 Jake Pascual of San Beda, 6-3 2/3 David Semerad of San Beda, 6-3 2/3 Maclean Sabellina of STI and 6-3 1/2 Alan Santos of Adamson. They fell below the 6-4 mark.

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and Amante Flores of the University of Mindanao are the shortest in the draft, both standing 5-6. Others measured to be 5-7 or under are 5-6 1/ 2 Michael Gamboa of UP, 5-7 Jeff Viernes of St. Clare College and 5-7 Renato Robrigado of Wellington Institute of Technology. The lightest are 130-pound Allan Tria of TUP, 141-pound Flores, 145-pound Francis Bercede of the University of San Carlos, 146 1/2-pound Viernes and 151-pound Manny Pacquiao. The heaviest are the 275 1/2-pound Jeff Montemayor. Others who scaled 220 or more are Avillanoza, 220, John Maiquez of San Sebastian, 221 1/2, Marlon Gomez of PCU, 222, Mendoza, 222 1/ 2, Victor Umali of Seattle Pacific, 222 1/2, Paredes, 227, Caperal, 234, Soyud, 235, Jamieson Cortez of Letran, 237 1/2, Santos, 238 and Junjun Alas, 261.

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In wingspan, 6-1 1/2 Harold Arboleda of Perpetual has the widest at 6-10 1/ 2 or 82 1/2 inches. Next is Avillanoza at 6-8 1/3 or 80 1/3 inches. Jeff Montemayor is third at 79 1/3 inches. Tied for fourth are Paredes, Ganuelas and Sabellina at 79 inches. Manny Pacquiao’s wingspan is 69 inches.

Only four players came through with a maximum vertical leap of at least 40 inches. Topping the roster of high leapers was Chris Banchero of Seattle Pacific at 44.2. Next in the ladder were Ganuelas at 44, Stanley Pringle of Penn State at 41.2 and Franklin Bonifacio of Las Positas College at 40.3. In the NBA, the average vertical leap is 28 inches and Michael Jordan’s jump was once measured to be 48 inches. The quickest in the 3/4 court sprint was Banchero at 2.91 seconds, the only rookie hopeful to make it below three seconds. Bonifacio checked in at three seconds flat while Raymond Alcasabas of San Sebastian was timed at 3.03.

Consensus first overall pick Pringle was measured to be 5-11 1/4 weighing 185 pounds with a wingspan of 78 1/6 inches. He was second in the standing vertical leap category at 33.9 inches behind Ganuelas’ 36.2. The draft has three sets of brothers – Junjun and Kevin Alas, John and Jeff Montemayor and Anthony and David Semerad. First cousins in the list are Golla, Gab Banal and Jonathan Banal and Manny and Rene Pacquiao.

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A PBA source said it’s unlikely any team will pick Pacquiao ahead of Kia Motors in the first round. It’s a possibility of course because there are no restrictions preventing a team to choose Pacquiao before Kia exercises the Kamao’s first pick in the 11th slot. “No gentleman’s agreement that no team will pick Pacquiao before Kia,” said the source. “But a team that chooses Pacquiao before Kia runs the risk of losing the pick. That’s because we all know that Pacquiao is the Kia head coach. A team that tries to jump the gun on Kia for the purpose of trading Pacquiao for a future first round pick may find itself with an empty pick if the Commissioner rules it in bad faith. Remember that any trade proposed on the floor has to be approved by the Commissioner. On the floor during the draft, it is within the Commissioner’s prerogative to approve or void.”

Pacquiao will not attend the draft as he was scheduled to leave for Beijing yesterday with business manager Eric Pineda. Early this morning, Pineda was booked to return to Manila to represent Pacquiao at the draft. Pacquiao will fly from Beijing to Macau where the world-wide media tour to promote his Nov. 23 title defense against Chris Algieri kicks off tomorrow.

Here’s how the first round of the draft may look like: Globalport – Stanley Pringle, Rain Or Shine – Chris Banchero, Barako Bull – Kevin Alas, N-Lex – Jake Pascual, Alaska – Ronald Pascual, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel – Matt Ganuelas, San Mig Coffee – Rodney Brondial, Barako Bull – Juneric Baloria, Rain Or Shine – Rome de la Rosa, Barako Bull – Gab Banal, Kia Motors – Manny Pacquiao, Blackwater Sports – Juami Tiongson.