Gabe Norwood tops PBL draft, will play for Hapee

Hapee Toothpaste made Gabe Norwood the top pick in the PBL Rookie Entry Draft held Friday at the penthouse of the Philippine Stock Exchange Center in Pasig City. According to a PBL statement, Norwood got drafted despite being absent, as he was still in the United States. Team manager Bernard Yang said the decision was reached after a consultation with team owner and incoming PBL chairman Cecilio Pedro. The team management said that they decided to pick the former George Mason University star to boost the team's campaign to get the PBL title. Yang said he already talked to Norwood's agent, Jim Naughton, and the two agreed to discuss the offer next week. "I had already talked to his manager and he promised to settle pending commitments of Gabe in the US before coming back to the country," Yang said. "Then we'll talk about the offer." Hapee also got San Beda's John Carlos Hermida to beef up its back court, which turned to be their Waterloo in the past two conferences. Jervy Cruz, the brawny forward from the University of Santo Tomas, was taken by the Lina Group of Companies as the overall No. 2 pick, while Far Eastern University's Marvel Baracael was its No. 4 pick. Toyota Balintawak coach Ariel Vanguardia took James Ryan Sena of Jose Rizal University as the team's No. 3 pick. Pharex team manager Jean Alabanza, picking No. 6, drafted another FEU star in Alfredo Gerilla,while Bacchus Energy Drink coach Lawrence Chongson selected University of the East star James Martinez for No. 7. Harbour Centre, bidding for a record fourth straight championship, didn't have a pick in the first round but was given a supplemental pick because most of its players are on loan to the national training team. Team manager Erick Arejola and coach George Gallent picked Solomon Mercado of Biola University and Benedict Fernandez of FEU. San Miguel-Magnolia, also given a supplemental pick, drafted Jefemil Khalili, Toyota Balintawak tabbed Fil-Am Richard Cole, and Pharex got Pepito Daryl. Drafted in the second round were Melchor Gile of UST (Hapee), Fil-Am Kevin Dalafu (San Mig-Magnolia), Marvin Hayes of JRU (Toyota Balintawak), Woody Co of UP (LGC), Leo Canuday (Harbour Centre), Jeff de Guzman of Ateneo (Pharex) and Migs De Asis of UP (Bacchus). Taken in the third round were Michael Johnson Kong of University of Perpetual Help (Hapee), Magi King Sison of UP (San Mig-Magnolia), John Wilson of JRU (Toyota Balintawak), Adrian Sosa (LGC), Julius Cum (Harbour), and Kevyn White (Pharex). As expected, the drafting went as far as seventh round with a total of 36 players drafted. The last to be picked was Fil-Iranian Amir Mazarei, who was taken by Bacchus. - GMANews.TV