Air21 to grant draft choices two-year pacts

MANILA, Philippines – Air21 is set to give rookies Mark Borboran and Pocholo Villanueva two-year deals. The Express, who played in the franchise’s first finals series in the Philippine Basketball Association last month, picked Borboran sixth overall and Villanueva 13th in the PBA Draft last Sunday at the Market! Market! in Taguig. Borboran’s entry adds further firepower to the Express, who suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 series loss to Barangay Ginebra in the recent Fiesta Conference Finals. Borboran was a key figure in the University of the East team that swept the elimination round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines last year. Villanueva played a significant role in De La Salle’s 2007 UAAP championship. Coach Bo Perasol also said that a reported deal that would have sent JC Intal for Samigue Eman of San Miguel may not push through after all. “I don’t think that that reported deal would materialize now," said Perasol. “But we do need an inside presence. At the moment, we’re still looking for deals that could net us a big man." – GMANews.TV