Burger King out to make highly-touted Japeth as top rookie pick

Burger King is poised to make highly-touted big man Japeth Aguilar as the no. 1 overall pick in Sunday’s annual PBA Rookie Draft at the Market Market Place in Taguig City. Lito Alvarez, the Whopper’s PBA board representative and incoming league chairman, declared the team is certain to use its no. 1 pick on the one-time Ateneo and Western Kentucky University standout. “After thorough deliberations, we will go for Aguilar for our No. 1 pick," said Alvarez a few days ago. “He (Aguilar) will be the missing piece in our effort to win our first championship." Burger King will have three more choices in the first round alone. A total of 49 others will be vying to land ball clubs in their attempt to step onto the big stage that will grant them tickets to fame and fortune. At most however, only 19 players will be selected. And those who are likely to be chosen in the first around are 6-foot-7 Rico Maierhofer, PBL MVP Chris Ross, two-time UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz, NCAA Finals MVP Ogie Menor, JRU’s James Sena, Josh Urbiztondo, Ronnie Matias and Chris Timberlake. Purefoods, now labeled as a serious force in the season-opening Philippine Cup that starts in October after re-acquiring Marc Pingris, will have the No. 2 pick. Burger King again picks third with Rain or Shine, which just had a breakthrough season, choosing fourth. Alaska has the No. 5 pick. Rounding out the order in the first round are: Barako Bull, 6th; Ginebra 7th; Burger King, 8th; San Miguel Beer, 9th; and Barako Bull, 10th. The second round will have Sta. Lucia (11th), Barako Bull (12th), Burger King (13), Rain or Shine (14), Alaska (15), Sta. Lucia (16), Ginebra (17), Talk ‘N Text (18) and Buger King (19). Coca-Cola is the only ball club that has no pick in the draft. It previously had the No. 2 pick for this year’s draft in a deal acquired from Shell, but lost it after the Turbo Chargers disbanded. Aguilar is bound to become the first homegrown talent to be picked No. 1 after Yancy de Ocampo in 2002. But the expectations from the son of a former PBA player and a key slice in the country’s drive to make it to the World Championships since 1978 is so high that he is likely to dominate the league for years to come. The rest of the aspirants are: Axel Doruelo, Jonathan Penera, Francis Allera, Allan Evangelista, Andro Quinday, Marcy Arellano, Bryan Faundo, Edwin Asoro, Kim Gatchalian, Howard Saddi, Mark Benitez, Benedict Fernandez, Richard Saladaga, Charles Bolias, Roel Hugnatan, Leemore Boliver, Kim Macanig, Glenn Bolocon, Michael Burtscher, Emmanuel Malasig, Jonathan Uyloan, Jorel Canizares, Roser Mangahas; Jan Philip Villaver, Jerome Cenita, Jim Viray, Sean Co, Jemal Vizcarra, Hafer Mondragon, John Walsham, Fiel Daa, Jobe Nkemakolan, Charles Waters, Orlando Daroya, Gerry Orera, Kevin White, Floyd Dedicatoria, Luis Palaganas, Ramsey Williams, Jerby Del Rosario,and Jonathan Parreno. – GMANews.TV