5 MVPs lead nominees to PBA Hall of Fame

MANILA, Philippines - Ten players, including five former Most Valuable Players and two distinguished imports, composed the list submitted by the nomination committee for induction to the Philippine Basketball Association Hall of Fame. The league said on Tuesday that those selected to be part of the third group of inductees who will be enshrined on May 23 at the Sofitel Hotel. Composing the nomination committee are chairperson and Barako Bull team manager Andy Jao, Chito Loyzaga, PBA operations manager Rickie Santos, PBA media bureau chief and special assistant to the commissioner Willie Marcial, sportwriters and columnists Tito Talao and Quinito Henson. The list was originally composed of 14 names but was trimmed to 10. Players included in the list are Bernie Fabiosa, Allan Caidic, Ato Agustin, Hector Calma, Samboy Lim, Benjie Paras, Ricardo Brown, Freddie Hubalde, Bobby Parks and Glenn McDonald. Also in the list were coaches Tommy Manotoc and Ed Ocampo, referees Igmidio Cahanding and Dr. Eriberto Cruz, league officials Jun Bernardino, Carlos Palanca III and Walter Euyang and media practitioners Fred Luarca, Rudy Navarro and Romy Kintanar. Jao revealed that a special citation will be given for fans as recognition to their undying support to the league. Five of those nominated players were former MVPs. They are Paras (1989, 1999), Brown (1985), Caidic (1990), Hubalde (1977) and Agustin (1992). It could be recalled that Parks was seven-time Best Import awardee while McDonald, who was considered as the Boston Celtics' hero in the 1977 NBA Finals, made it to the list by being a role model during his five-year stint in the professional league. -GMANews.TV