FEU’s Villanueva is top PBL 2006 rookie pick

Magnolia put to good use its two first round pick by getting the players they needed most to create a faster Wizards in the Philippine Basketball League Silver Cup which starts next month. Magnolia made FEU guard Jonas Villanueva as the 2006 PBL Rookie Draft's overall top pick then bagged Bonbon Custodio, UE's top scorer in the recently-concluded UAAP men’s basketball, as first round's third pick Friday afternoon at the PBL office. The Wizards acquired the number one pick from TeleTech, who exchanged its first picks in the first and second round of the draft to acquire Kim Valenzuela. "Now that we have Jonas (Villanueva), we have a potent backcourt. Jonas is known for his leadership and skills and I can say the same with (Bonbon) Custodio although he was at the center of a controversy in the UAAP. I believe he will prove himself in the PBL," said Magnolia team manager Peter Martin, who was accompanied by PBL chair Chito Loyzaga and SMC official Robert Non. Custodio was sacked by UE during the UAAP semifinals and did not play against University of Santo Tomas in the pivotal Game 2. UE provided no official reason why it axed Custodio, but there were unconfirmed reports that the cager, when confronted by school officials, admitted to point shaving. A total of 21 players were picked during the drafting but the number of rookies in the upcoming PBL conference will be far higher because of direct hires by new teams. Magnolia drafted the services of eight San Beda Red Lions who were not in the draft. Magnolia decided to support the NCAA champions after FEU decided to disband the Tamaraws after a so-so showing in the UAAP. Other companies that are supporting collegiate teams in the PBL are Hapee-PCU, Sista-St. Benilde, Toyota Otis-Letran and Harbour Center-National University. Hapee-PCU took Mark Borboran, a 6'4" forward from UE, as overall second pick. Other first round picks are Kelvin Gregorio of UE (Sista), Jon Derek Dizon of MLQU (Toyota Otis), Elmer Espiritu of UE (Cebuana Lhuillier Pera Padala) and Eric Tamayo of PUP (Mail and More). Teletech, which gained a pick in the second round from Toyota Otis, drafted UP forward-center Gilen Cacha. Cebuana and Mail and More, both newcomers in the league, made use of the dispersal draft to beef up their rosters. Players from Montana Jewels and Granny Goose, which both chose to rest until the next conference, composed those in the dispersal draft. Cebuana, who will be mentored by Luigi Trillo, picked UAAP MVP Kenneth Bono while Mail and More took in Tortillos' former center JR Quinahan and Lawrence Chongson from the dispersal draft. A total of 24 players were picked from the dispersal draft. - GMANews.TV