By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Negrense guards Mark Nonoy, Miguel Corteza and Keith Pido bannered the Western Visayas-based players selected in the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft at the Glorietta Malls Activity Center in Makati City on Sunday, July 14.
Nonoy, a native of Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City, was selected 10th overall by the Terrafirma Dyip, a selection they acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings over the weekend.
“This is a dream come true for me. Bata pa lamang ako pinapangarap ko nang makatungtong sa PBA,” Nonoy said.
“Thankful ako sa Terrafirma at pinagkatiwalaan nila ako,” he added.
Corteza, who is from Negros Occidental’s Silay City, was drafted 20th overall by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, but was later traded to the Blackwater Bossing for a future second-round pick.
Joining Corteza at the Bossing camp is Bacolodnon guard Pido, who was chosen as the first pick in the fourth round by the Bossing.
The Converge FiberXers have made Justine Baltazar as their top-overall pick, followed by Sedrick Barefield to the Bossing, Rhon Jay Abarrientos to the Gin Kings, Kai Balunggay to the Phoenix Fuel Masters, and Dave Ildefonso to the NorthPort Batang Pier.
Also selected in the first round of the drafting are Jonnel Policarpio to the NLEX Road Warriors, Caelan Tiongson and Felix Lemetti to the Painters, Jerom Lastimosa to the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, CJ Cansino to the Meralco Bolts, and Avan Nava to the San Miguel Beermen.
Aside from Corteza, also drafted in the second round are Francis Escandor and Michael Malonzo (Painters); Pao Javillonar, Benjamin Phillips III and Jason Credo (FiberXers); Didat Hanapi and Paolo Hernandez (Gin Kings); Evan Nelle (Batang Pier); Conrad Catapusan (Dyip); Brandon Ramirez (Road Warriors); and Kurt Reyson (Bolts).
Picked in the third round are Ronan Santos (FiberXers), DJ Mitchell (Bossing), Peter Alfaro (Dyip), Calvin Payawal (Fuel Masters), Agem Miranda (Batang Pier), Xyrus Torres (Road Warriors), Jared Brown (TNT Tropang Giga), Darwish Bederi (Painters), Romulo Berjay (Hotshots), Paul Garcia (Gin Kings), JP Maguliano (Bolts), and Abdul Sawat (Beermen).
Aside from Pido, also selected in the fourth round are Manuel Mosqueda III (Fuel Masters), John Uduba (Batang Pier), Denzel Wong (Road Warriors), Mark Neil Cruz (Tropang Giga), Ry dela Rosa (Hotshots), Jordan Bartlett (Bolts), and Ralph Robin (Beermen).
Others selected in the succeeding rounds are Patrick Feliciano (Fuel Masters), Germy Mahinay and Robbi Darang (Batang Pier) and Adrian Partosa (Road Warriors)./ASC, WDJ