PBL holds rookie draft; Norwood likely top pick

People's Journal
September 8, 2007

FIL-AM Gabe Norwood is expected to be the biggest draw when the PBL holds its annual Rookie Draft on Sept. 28 at the PBL office in Pasig.

The 6-foot-5 Norwood played for the all-pro Philippine team in the FIBA-Asia Championship in Japan recently and also expressed his wish to play in the coming PBL tournament before joining the PBA next year.

Commissioner Chino Trinidad sees a bumper crop of talents as other Fil-foreign players have signified their interest to join the premier amateur basketball league.

“The league lost a great number of its marquee players but I’m confident a new batch of exciting players will rise and take the spotlight,” said Trinidad. “There are lots of talents around so I’m confident we can discover new ones.

“If the player will join the league, we are willing to provide them the training they want. We’re going nurture and help them build a career for themselves,” said Trinidad.

Expected to join the rookie draft are Woody Co and Miguel de Asis of the University of the Philippines, Jose Antonio Reyes, Eric Salamat and Ken Joseph Barracoso of Ateneo, James Martinez of University of the East, Marnel Baracael and Benedict Fernandez of FEU, Peejay Barua of La Salle.

A horde of NCAA standouts, among them John Carl Meligrito of Letran, Michael Kong of University of Perpetual Help Dalta System, Garvo Lanete of San Beda and John Marion Wilson of Jose Rizal University, are also likely to join the draft.

Top players from the Visayas, especially from Cebu and Bacolod, are also invited to join the rookie draft which will now be held only once a year.

Previously, the league conducts its rookie draft twice a year.

“Failure to join the coming draft will have to wait for another year before they can play in the league,” said PBL Executive Director Butch Maniego.