PBL season glimmers with college stars

By Jasmine W. Payo
Inquirer
Last updated 05:35am (Mla time) 10/12/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A league rookie takes on a veteran crew when the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) First Conference kicks off on Oct. 20 at The Arena in San Juan City.

Newcomer Pharex and San Mig Coffee (formerly San Miguel-Magnolia) will clash at 2 p.m., followed by the 4 p.m. dispute between Toyota Balintawak and Bacchus Energy Drink on the first day of the season opener.

PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad expects “a wide open race for the championship” since the league loaned several of its stars -- including back-to-back Most Valuable Player Jason Castro -- to the Harbour-RP team set to see action in the Southeast Asian Games.
But more standouts are expected to emerge from the new batch of rookies led by 6-foot-5 Fil-Am guard Gabe Norwood and San Beda College’s John Hermida of Hapee, Ateneo de Manila University center Ford Arao of San Mig Coffee, University of the East’s James Martinez of Bacchus and Jose Rizal University’s James Sena of Toyota Balintawak.

“The endearing exploits of some of the finest collegiate players are expected to spill over in the PBL considering that most of them will see action,” said Trinidad.

According to executive director Butch Maniego, the league will also hold a one-week tournament which will pit the Harbour-RP team against a foreign team and other invited squads.

Aside from missing Castro, three-time champion Harbour Centre will have to do without Beau Belga, Jonathan Fernandez and Chad Alonzo, while newcomer Lina Group of Companies also loaned a prized recruit -- UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz of the University of Santo Tomas -- to the national five.