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Raphy Banal and Mac Belo (right) are expected to be the new cornerstones of the Blackwater club. (file photo) |
By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--The time may have come already for Blackwater.
After two sluggish seasons, the Elite nabbed arguably the best Gilas 5.0 player and the best player among the non-Gilas guys in Sunday's PBA Draft in Mac Belo and Raphy Banal, and Coach Leo Isaac is bullish about the two young guns.
"They can develop into future PBA superstars," said Isaac.
While Blackwater lost Carlo Lastimosa in a trade for James Forrester and JP Erram to an ACL injury that will sideline him for the Philippine Cup, the team still has potent threats in Belo, Banal, Arth Dela Cruz, Roi Sumang, and Juami Tiongson.
Surrounding the Elite's young guns are veterans Denok Miranda and Reil Cervantes, who will take a huge chunk of Erram's minutes.
“The team is determined to succeed,” Isaac vowed. "We want to be there, competing regularly in the playoffs and fighting with the contenders."
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
While Blackwater lost Carlo Lastimosa in a trade for James Forrester and JP Erram to an ACL injury that will sideline him for the Philippine Cup, the team still has potent threats in Belo, Banal, Arth Dela Cruz, Roi Sumang, and Juami Tiongson.
Surrounding the Elite's young guns are veterans Denok Miranda and Reil Cervantes, who will take a huge chunk of Erram's minutes.
“The team is determined to succeed,” Isaac vowed. "We want to be there, competing regularly in the playoffs and fighting with the contenders."
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno