PBADRAFT.BLOGSPOT.COM

2003 PBA DRAFT
January 12, 2003 @ Glorietta Activity Center (Makati City)

With fiery guard Mike Cortez emerging the top pick a long foregone conclusion, a surprise trade involving one-time MVP and three-time Asian Gamer Kenneth Duremdes and a pair of quick steals became the big news in the 2003 Samsung PBA Annual Draft at the Glorietta yesterday. A few minutes before the draft, Alaska dealt Duremdes to Sta. Lucia in exchange for draft picks, and used these to pick two other Fil-Am players aside from Cortez -- a move that had the Uytengsu franchise yielding the final piece of the Alaska dynasty in the 90s.

"We just did it. It happened quickly. Kenneth was informed of the trade a few minutes before the draft and he took it as a true professional," said Alaska coach Tim Cone of the trade that caught many by surprise during the draft exercise witnessed by a huge Sunday crowd in the spacious Makati mall.

"He (Duremdes) sent feelers that he wanted to be traded. And with the salary cap going down, we’re having a hard time coping up with it. We found the opportunity to get young players with cheaper price. Time was running short and we had to make the decision," Cone added.

Duremdes, who was in his hometown in Koronadal, South Cotabato, nursing a fever, said he doesn’t feel bad at all in a phone interview with The STAR. He said: "Professional naman tayo at alam natin ang kalakaran sa basketball. Pagmedyo matanda ka na, talagang bibitawan ka na."

With the trade, Duremdes, the 1998 MVP awardee, will have to spend the last five years of his mega-buck P48 million contract spread over eight years with Sta. Lucia. He said: "Okay lang ako doon. At least doon makakasama ko si Marlou (Aquino) at Dennis (Espino) na mga kaibigan ko. Si coach Al (Chua) nakasama ko na rin (at Pop Cola)."

Sta. Lucia team manager Buddy Encarnado, for his part, said: "Alaska initiated the trade. We took the gamble and never let it go. This will enhance our image as a truly home-grown team."

Suddenly finding themselves neck-deep in the pay cap, Encarnado agreed to release Omanzie Rodriguez and Marvin Ortiguerra to FedEx without compensation. FedEx also got Roger Yap from Purefoods in a separate deal during the draft exercise.

Alaska used the first-round pick it acquired from Sta. Lucia – No. 5 – in stealing Brandon Lee Kaui Cablay. Talk N Text made the first steal in the draft when it used the No. 4 pick overall on Harvey Carey.

"We’re impressed (by Carey) during the pre-draft camp and we invited him to practice for us yesterday (Saturday)," said Talk N Text team manager Frankie Lim of the 6-foot-3 Carey, a holder of a degree in sociology at Sonoma State.

The Duremdes trade and the two steals overshadowed Cortez’s emergence as top pick, Romel Adducul No. 2 by Barangay Ginebra and Eddie Laure No. 3 by Shell in the draft that had a total of 40 players plucked from the draft pool featuring a total of 62 players.

Rounding out the Magic 10 picks were No 6 Billy Mamaril by Purefoods, No. 7 Enrico Villanueva by Red Bull, No. 8 Marlon Legaspi by San Miguel, No. 9 Reynel Hugnatan by Coca-Cola and No. 10 Jimmy Alapag by Talk N Text.

Shell coach Perry Ronquillo said they opted to get Laure over Villanueva when Ginebra did pick Adducul at No. 2.

Villanueva, the 6-foot-6 Ateneo product, didn’t feel bad dropping to No. 7, saying: "Kanya-kanyang kailangan ang mga teams. Thankful ako, at least nakuha ako."

Barangay Ginebra made Sunday Salvacion the first pick in the second round, then FedEx tapped in John Ferriols, Shell Adonis Sta. Maria, Red Bull Cyrus Baguio, Alaska Eugene Tejada, Shell Ronald Tubid, Red Bull Rysal Castro, San Miguel Arnold Calo, Red Bull Vincent San Diego and Alaska Leo Bat-og. Alaska and Sta. Lucia swapped picks in the second round as part of the Duremdes deal.

Baguio, the flambuoyant guard-forward out of UST, made it to the draft but will need to get release from his PBL team Dazz to be able to play in the 2003 PBA season starting Feb. 16. He’s under contract with Dazz until April.

FedEx still caught exciting forward Bruce Dacia in the third round where Ginebra got Rob Johnson, Shell Ralph Rivera, Purefoods Jenkins Mesina, Sta. Lucia Ariel Capus, Talk N Text William Villa, Red Bull Dustin Coloso, Coca-Cola Jeck Chia and Alaska Stephen Padilla.

Drafted in the fourth to sixth rounds were Paul Ferreira (FedEx), Dennis Madrid (Shell), Gerry Jaca (Purefoods), Richard Hardine (Talk N Text), Clarence Cole (Red Bull), Jeffrey Sanders (Coca-Cola), Sonnyboy Margate (Alaska), Mike Bravo (FedEx), Joseph Dominguez (Purefoods), Ramil Ferma (Red Bull) and Sanley de Castro (Purefoods).

Red Bull had the most number of draftees with seven. Purefoods, Shell and Alaska had five apiece, Talk N Text and FedEx four each, Coca-Cola and Ginebra three each, and Sta. Lucia the least with two.

FIRST ROUND

1) Alaska - Mike Cortez (De La Salle University)
2) Brgy. Ginebra - Rommel Adducul (San Sebastian)
3) Shell - Eddie Laure (Adamson)
4) Talk N Text - Harvey Carey (Sonoma State University)
5) Alaska - Brandon Lee Cablay (Vanguard University)
6) Purefoods - Billy Mamaril (Bakersfield College)
7) Red Bull - Enrico Villanueva (Ateneo de Manila)
8) San Miguel - Marlon Legaspi (Manuel Luis Quezon University)
9) Coca-Cola - Reynel Hugnatan (University of Manila)
10) Talk N Text - Jimmy Alapag (California State University at San Bernardino)

SECOND ROUND

11) Brgy. Ginebra - Sunday Salvacion (College of St. Benilde)
12) Air21 - John Ferriols (University of San Jose Recoletos)
13) Shell - Adonis Sta. Maria (De La Salle Univesity)
14) Red Bull - Cyrus Baguio (University of Sto. Thomas)
15) Alaska - Eugene Tejada (Chabot)
16) Shell - Ronald Tubid (University of the East)
17) Red Bull - Rysal Castro (Far Eastern University)
18) San Miguel - Arnold Calo (Manuel Luis Quezon University)
19) Red Bull - Vincent San Diego (De La Salle University)
20) Sta. Lucia - Leo Bat-og (Negros Occidental-Recoletos)

THIRD ROUND

21) Air21 - Bruce Dacia (University of the Visayas)
22) Brgy. Ginebra - Rob Johnson (Belevue)
23) Shell - Ralph Emerson Rivera (San Beda)
24) Purefoods - Jenkins Mesina (San Beda)
25) Sta. Lucia - Ariel Capus (Jose Rizal)
26) Talk N Text - William Villa (Brigham Young University-Hawaii)
27) Red Bull - Dustin Coloso (Kean University)
28) Coca-Cola - Jec Chia (Ateneo)
29) Alaska - Stephen Padilla (University of the Visayas)

FOURTH ROUND

30) Air21 - Kalani Ferreria (Moorpark C.C.)
31) Shell - Dennis Madrid (Adamson University)
32) Purefoods - Jerry Jaca (Cebu Institute of Technology)
33) Talk N Text - Richard Hardine (Southwestern College)
34) Red Bull - Clarence Cole (Cal State Polytechnic)
35) Coca-Cola - Jeffrey Sanders (Technological Institute of the Philippines)
36) Alaska - Sunny Margate (Skyline)

FIFTH ROUND

37) Air21 - Mike Bravo (University of the Philippines)
38) Purefoods - Joseph Dominguez (University of Winnipeg, Canada)
39) Red Bull - Ramil Ferma (New Era)

SIXTH ROUND

40) Purefoods - Sanley de Castro (Harbor City College)

NOT SELECTED

Francis Rauschmayer (Florida Community College, Jacksonville)
Leo Yanogacio (Rutgers-Newark)
Richmond de los Cientos (Contra Costa)
Khomar Khansroff (Makati)
Gabe Pagtama (Santa Monica College)
Mark Caguco (Cal State-Northridge)
Melvin Taguines (Manuel Luis Quezon)
Aldrich Reyes (Xavier University)
Rodel Manuel (University of the East)
Crispin Guinto (San Jose State University)
Michael Peteros
Carlos Sayon
Tom Arceno (Central Philippine)
Egay Echavez (Misamis Institute of Technology)
Dennis Morante (San Sebastian)
Bong Salvador (Adamson University)
Chris Corbin (University of the East)
Rendell de la Rea (Jose Rizal)
Leo Villar (University of the East)
Francis Machica (College of Marin)
Raymund Soto (University of the East)
Edwin Pimentel (University of Manila)

WITHDREW/SCRAPPED FOR FAILURE TO COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS

Richard Michael (University of Sydney)
Cid White (Olongapo)
Michael Tablan (Centennial College)
Christian Gavina (Stevens Institute of Technology)
Ernani Epondulan (Jose Rizal)