Welcoat to get Norwood as top PBA draft choice

MANILA, Philippines – Barring any last minute hitches, Rain or Shine is set to choose highly-touted Fil-Am Gabe Norwood as the top pick in today’s PBA Annual Rookie Draft at the Market! Market! Activity Center in Taguig City. The affair begins at 4 p.m. with 45 applicants including Norwood, making up this year’s Rookie Batch. The Elasto Painters (formerly Welcoat Dragons) took away some suspense leading into D-day after proclaiming they are tabbing the six-foot-five Norwood as the league’s top overall selection, by hook or by crook. “He’s our pick, and he’s not for sale," said Rain or Shine co-owner Terry Que. Norwood will be arriving to the country this morning from the US just in time for the afternoon event. The field isn’t regarded as that deep, but there’s no question that the Elasto Painters and the Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals, which picks No. 2, will claim the talent they badly want. The Phone Pals will choose Jared Dillinger, a Fil-German, who they will use to fill up the space left when Asi Taulava was traded. For the second straight year, Rain or Shine will have the luxury of choosing first. This time, though, it hopes that everything would change for the better once Norwood becomes a part of its team that has finished dead last for four straight conferences. The Elasto Painters got Joe DeVance last season but hardly was the Fil-Am an impact, even losing the Rookie of the Year honors to Sta. Lucia Realty’s Ryan Reyes and a player criticized much for poor shot selections. The Elasto Painters, though, wouldn’t be blessed with a Norwood had the PBA not had a change of heart. Before, Norwood was an ineligible player because he couldn’t come up with affirmation papers from the Department of Justice and from the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation. But just a few days ago, the league said that it would give special consideration on Norwood, having been part of the national team that competed in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and in the FIBA Asia Qualifying Tournament in Tokushima, Japan also last year. After Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text, Magnolia picks third. The Phone Pals again pick at No. 4 before Alaska takes its turn at No. 5. Air21 then comes next with Purefoods, Magnolia, Red Bull and Sta. Lucia, the Philippine Cup champion, rounding out the first round picks. Also fancied to be picked in the first round are former PBL MVP Jason Castro and Solomon Mercado, and ex University of the East star Mark Borboran. The complete list of applicants are: Juan Abad, Beau Belga, Lawrence Bonus, Patrick Cabahug, Christian Cabatu, Andrew Catigan, Jeffrey Chan, Jan Coching, Dennis Concha, Nathaniel Cruz, Mark Cuevas, Rene Cunanan, Bonifacio Custodio; Kevin Dalafu, Nestor David, Kelvin De La Pena, Michael Dizon, Paul Escobal, Anthony Espiritu, Jonathan Fernandez, Michael Gonzales, Kelvin Gregorio, Chito Jaime, Ismael Junio, Nizar Kiram, Ferdoe Melocoton; Franklyn Nailon, Ricky Natividad, Lei Navarro, Angelus Raymundo, Ryan Regalado, Rob Reyes, Unik Reyes, Larry Rodriguez, Earn Saguindel, Eder Saldua, TY Tang, Pocholo Villanueva, Mark Yee, Eian Yu. – GMANews.TV