PBA Rookie Rankings: Pringle shines

The scope: 2014-15 PBA Philippine Cup start ‘til November 9, 2014

This includes: All rookies that played this week

This excludes: All rookies that didn’t play this week

30.

You heard me.

A total of 30 rookies have suited up for their respective teams this season and while the first two weeks are mere test drives on whether or not they are going to be effective for their coaches, some of the “rotation” rookies have shown great strides in their pro career starts.

Of the 30, 10 stood out the brightest since the start of the season. From last week’s list, Kia’s Eder Saldua and Barako Bull’s Jake Pascual did not qualify for a consecutive salvo. So whose stock rose and disintegrated from last week?

Game starts now.

10. Rodney Brondial (Barangay Ginebra Kings)

Last week: New entry

Stats: 2.8PPG • 3.4RPG • 0.6SPG

Without question, Brondial’s stats aren’t much of a pleaser but he’s ably filling the spots vacated by their main bigs in case they need to rest (it also helps that Ginebra has had an impressive five-game start). For a player averaging less than a quarter per game, his stats are alright. He reminds me of the rookie campaign of fellow ex-Falcon Eric Camson.

9. Karl Dehesa (Kia Sorento)

Last week: 5

Stats: 7.33PPG • 1.67RPG • 2.33APG

I have no idea what this guy did to average almost 34 minutes per game in his first three games as a pro. Not to knock on his game but if you check out Rain or Shine, Jeff Chan gets the most exposure and he’s only good for 26.6mpg. This is kind of intriguing especially since Reil Cervantes, their scoring and rebounding leader, is only good for 25 minutes per outing. Maybe he’s just claiming the minutes that should be for Manny Pacquiao? Regardless, in their last two games, Dehasa surged for 9ppg, 2rpg, and 1apg, which means Glenn Capacio must be seeing something that we don’t.

8. Alvin Padilla (Kia Sorento)

Last week: 4

Stats: 6.4PPG • 4.2RPG • 1.4APG

In the almost-win against GlobalPort, Padilla played 32 minutes and had 11 points, five rebounds, and two assists. In the blowout against Talk N Text, he just logged 19 minutes and was held scoreless with six boards. The former UP Maroon has shown to people that he belongs in the big leagues and for some reason, his plays serve as a yardstick of how tolerable Kia’s losses will be.

7. Anthony Semerad (Globalport Batang Pier)

Last week: New entry

Stats: 8.3PPG • 2.0RPG • 1.0APG

It seems as if the reigning NCAA Finals MVP brought some of his winning juju to the erstwhile struggling squad. Anthony Semerad scored 12 points and four rebounds in GlobalPort’s conquest over Kia, which is in some ways, his breakout game as Pido Jarencio saw fire and intensity inside this Bedan (also fueled by Chad Alonzo). And then against Blackwater, he stepped on the gas with 16 markers. He was a surprise first round pick in the 2014 PBA Draft and he’s turning out to be a steal.

6. Jericho Cruz (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters)

Last week: 6

Stats: 7.2PPG • 2.4RPG • 1.0APG • 1.2SPG

Here’s a guy I thought would be buried in the long line of Rain or Shine guards but the injuries to Paul Lee, Chris Tiu and Ryan Arana gave this guy a glimmer of playing time despite the presence of Jeff Chan, Jireh Ibanes, Jeric Teng and the vastly improved Jonathan Uyloan. Against Talk N Text and Kia, the former Adamson Falcon soared with 6.5ppg, 3rpg, and 2apg.

5. JP Erram (Blackwater Elite)

Last week: 7

Stats: 6.6PPG • 6.0RPG • 1.4APG • 1.8BPG

Danny Ildefonso’s loss is this guy’s gain – especially since Erram wouldn’t be in this position if Danny I and Blackwater agreed on their contract terms. The former Ateneo Blue Eagle is currently one of seven rookies to average at least 20 minutes per game. He ranks first among rookies in swats per game as well as third in rebounds per game. Against Ginebra, Erram had 11 points, six caroms, a swat, and a pair of steals in 21 minutes of play. Against GlobalPort, he produced six points and snared down 10 rebounds and laid waste on four shots.

4. Kevin Alas (Talk n Text Tropang Texters)

Last Week: 8

Stats: 10.4PPG • 2.4RPG • 1.8APG

I had people telling me what’s up with this guy’s low grade last week and the answer I gave them is that I made the list before the TNT versus Rain or Shine game where he had 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 22 minutes. In the Kia blowout, the Letran Knight was only good for five points, two rebounds, and an assist. Alas averages less than 19 minutes per game but is only one of two rookies to average in double digits.

3.  Chris Banchero (Alaska Aces)

Last week: 2

Stats: 7.75PPG • 3.25RPG • 2.50APG • 1.25SPG

The former San Miguel Beermen (ABL) dropped a spot after he faced off against old coach Leo Austria and ex-teammate June Mar Fajardo. Sure, the Aces continued their hot streak but Chris Banchero was only good for three points, two rebounds, and a steal. Not only was the game played like a finals showdown – the game was low-scoring. It will be hard for Banchero to kick the team’s established vets off their rotation so he needs to double his efforts in order to produce better stats.

2.  Matt Ganuelas-Rosser (Talk n Text Tropang Texters)

Last week: 3

Stats: 9.4PPG • 6.4RPG • 3.0APG • 0.80SPG • 1.0BPG

I can’t really pinpoint what to think about Rosser. He looks and fits the high leaper tag a la Nino Canaleta (at least before KG exchanged his dunks for long bombs). But it turns out he can be a scoring option a la Jay Washington and a rebounding demon a la Kelly Williams. There is nothing wrong to being compared with those names and it does help his cause that he ranks third in rookies in playing time logged as he can boast to his batchmates that he rules all of them in rebounds.

1. Stanley Pringle (Globalport Batang Pier)

Last week: 1

Stats: 16.0PPG • 6.2RPG • 4.4APG • 2.4SPG

Everything got switched on this list with the exception of the top dog and it’s actually understandable because as of this moment, Stanley Pringle is the prime candidate for the plum. This week he was two boards and four dimes short of a triple double against Kia and as if to shock you and against Blackwater, he had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and three swipes. Pringle has been able to rack up the stats despite the presence of Alex Cabagnot and Terrence Romeo and this is good, especially since the two guards have had DNPs in this young season.

This number could still grow since Harold Arboleda of NLEX as well as Roider Cabrera of GlobalPort have yet to see playing time. There are also some unsigned second rounders like Junjun Alas, Gab Banal and Frank Golla.

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