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| Jason Perkins became the first overall pick of the PBA D-League Draft. (file photo) |
By Ivan Saldajeno
PASIG--Two players from La Salle led the cast of newest batch of PBA D-League rookies during the annual league draft at the PBA Cafe on Tuesday.
Burly stretch-four Jason Perkins was selected first by KeraMix, which is set to be renamed as Alibaba, while AMA, which once again opted not to bring in its NAASCU lineup and decided to rely on its D-League veteran, chose Julian Sargent second overall.
Meanwhile, Tanduay drafted Ateneo's streak-shooter Von Pessumal third overall in the draft, while former Malaysia Dragon Avery Scharer joined Wang's as the fourth pick.
Mindanao rounded the first round by choosing Mike Williams with the fifth pick.
Three school-based teams, returning BDO-NU and new squads Phoenix-FEU and JAM-UP, opted to bring in the entirety of their respective lineups during the UAAP and were meted with automatic passes in the entire draft.
Another school-based team, reigning Foundation Cup champion Cafe France-CEU, opted to elevate only six of its NAASCU players.
On the other hand, Pessumal will be joined by fellow graduating Blue Eagle Fonzo Gotladera at the Rhum Makers camp as their second round pick, while Taylor Wetherell, the brother of PBA draftee Ryan, will join the Aguilas as their own second round selection.
The third round of the D-League Draft was still surrounded with star power as Alibaba went for Arellano's Kent Salado first, Wang's took Perpetual Help's Gab Dagangon second, Tanduay picked Adamson's Joseph Nalos third, and Mindanao tabbed CSB's JR Ongteco fourth.
Alibaba eventually went for a Chiefs triple threat by selecting gunslinger Zach Nicholls in the fourth round, reuniting him with Salado and Jio Jalalon.
Mapua's CJ Isit joined Tanduay and EAC's Francis Munsayac joined Wang's in the fifth round of the draft.
The Bakers officially joined the draft in the seventh round, taking in MLQU player Chris Bito-on.
The team then looked for some Cebuano talent by choosing USJ-R stalwarts Kevin Villafranca and James Regalado in the eighth and the 12th rounds respectively and UV baller Franz Arong in the tenth.
Tanduay still put up some Atenean touch in the ninth round by tabbing Kris Porter.
Cafe France then took advantage of LiverMarin-San Sebastian's leave of absence and took in Jerick Fabian in the 11th round before officially ending the drafting festivities with the Regalado selection.
Excluding the players which the school-based teams will automatically bring in, 44 players were drafted on Tuesday.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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