From dreams to draft day!
Nine hopefuls from Western Visayas and Negros Island Region will try their luck in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Rookie Draft on September 7 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.
With a total of 128 applicants, five of the nine hopefuls hail from Bacolod City, two from Iloilo, and one each from San Carlos City in Negros Occidental and Roxas City, Capiz.
Bacolod will banner Aldave Canoy, Jaycee Adjei, Miles Cañal, Jason Celis, and Alfred Sedillo. Canoy, a former University of Santo Tomas Growling Tiger and Colegio de Sta. Ana de Victorias standout, is currently playing for the Bacolod Tubo Slashers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
Celis also suited up for the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, while Sedillo previously played for the San Beda Red Lions and is now with the Manila Batang Quiapo squad.
Adjei, a former STI-West Negros University Mustang, and Cañal, a product of University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, are also with the Tubo Slashers. San Carlos City-native Kenneth Malazarte, who played for Colegio de San Agustin before landing with Bacolod in the MPBL will also try his best for the slot.
Ilonggo cagers Franz Diaz and John Bryan Sajonia are set to make their mark. Diaz starred for the Centro Escolar University Scorpions, steering them to multiple titles, while Sajonia, once with the FEU Tamaraws, has transferred to San Beda and will play his final NCAA season with the Red Lions.
Christian Manaytay from Roxas City, a former UST Growling Tiger now playing for the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in the MPBL completed the nine aspirants.
This year’s PBA Draft not only proves that Western Visayas and Negros Island Region are the hotbeds of basketball stars, but also a solid proof that grassroots programs are continuing and developing. IMT Sports
