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PBA sets deadline for Fil-foreign rookie applicants


A total of 11 applicants, including three foreign-bred players, and a one-time NCAA Most Valuable Player (MVP), are among those who made themselves available for the coming 2010 PBA Rookie Draft. John Wilson of Jose Rizal University and Josh Thomas Vanlandingham lead the early aspirants in the league’s first official activity for its 36th season. The annual event is set August 29 at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig. Wilson is a 6-foot-3, wily Heavy Bomber guard, who steered JRU to the NCAA Final Four last year. His performance earned him the season’s MVP award. He also suited up for Oracle and Fern C in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL). Vanlandingham, meanwhile, hails from Seattle,USA, and saw action for Everett CC. Upon arriving here, he played for Hapee Toothpaste in the PBL that placed runner-up to Harbour Center. He was a former teammate of Gabe Norwood, Jervy Cruz and Reed Juntilla, who are now strutting their wares in the big league. The 26-year old forward also happens to be the great grandson of Filipino Olympic medalist, the late swimming great Teofilo Yldefonso. Aside from Vanlandingham, the other Fil-Am players in this year’s draft are Robert Francis Simpson Jr. from Eckerd College and Sean Paranada of Chabot College. Simpson had stints with Cossak/Cobra in the PBL. Foreign-bred players wishing to join the Draft have until Wednesday to submit their applications and other pertinent papers. Another notable names who already applied are San Sebastian College’s Jimbo Aquino, Philippine Christian University’s Liztian Amparado and high-scoring Letran guard Rafael Joey (RJ) Jazul Jr. Aquino, of course, is best remembered for steering the Stags to a stunning 2-0 sweep of mighty San Beda Red Lions in last year’s NCAA championship series. His all-around brilliance made him the hands down choice to win the Finals MVP plum. The rest of the draft list includes Fredrick Donato Malabago, Elijah Swan, Froilan Asence Saquillo Jr. and Angelo Rey Gonzales. The official list of eligible draft applicants will be made available shortly upon the screening of all the required documents and papers by the PBA Commissioner’s Office. - RCJ, GMANews.TV

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