Things brewing up for San Mig Coffee

By Joey Villar
Philipine Star
Monday, October 15, 2007

A new name and an MVP acquisition could be what San Mig Coffee, formerly Magnolia, is waiting for.

The Coffee Kings have acquired a new brand name and a slew of players headed by reigning NCAA MVP Kelvin dela Peña of Mapua to backstop a team that is still reeling from a pair of disappointing performances in the last two conferences.

Dela Peña was picked up from the dispersal draft along with fellow Cardinal Jerby del Rosario while Fil-Ams Kevin Dalafu of Vanguard U and Ryan Boado of University of Houston were plucked from the rookie draft to form a squad that should be competitive in time for the season-closing conference set Oct. 20.

The team has also acquired Ateneo standout Ford Arao, Mapua hotshot Neil Pascual and San Sebastian-Cavite’s Gamby Bolocon from the free agency to beef up the Kings, who last won a title three years ago during the time of now PBA players Arwind Santos, Kelly Williams and Mark Isip.

“We have a solid line-up but we still need to gel because most of my players are newcomers,” said San Mig coach Koy Banal.

Also new on the team are Christian Luanzon, Eder Saldua and University of the Philippines’ 6-7 center Magi Sison.

The new batch of players will join former pro Neil Raneses, and veterans Al Magpayo, Alex Angeles, Paul Sorongon and Bon Bon Custodio.

San Mig team manager Peter Martin, however, said they would miss the services of their top two guards Jonas Villanueva and Jeff Chan.

Villanueva has already signed up with the Magnolia Beverage Masters – the Kings’ sister team in the PBA while the sweet-shooting Chan was loaned to the Harbour Centre-backed RP team seeing action in the 24th Southeast Asian Games slated Dec. 6-16 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

“We have big holes to fill but I’m confident the new players can fill that void,” said Martin.

Other teams seeing action this conference are four-peat seeking Harbour Centre, Toyota Balintawak, Hapee Toothpaste, Bacchus Energy Drink, Lina Group of Companies and newcomer Pharex.