Fil-Am cager could be next Hrabak

SAN ANTONIO – There’s a 6-6 Fil-Am player looking into the possibility of seeing action in the PBA D-League with the ultimate goal of someday making it to the PBA. Kevin Benitez Stock, 23, was in Manila two years ago to try out for a spot on the San Miguel Beer team in the ABL but failed to beat the deadline in submitting his dual citizenship documents. He plans to work on his papers and apply for the next PBA D-League draft.

“Coach Bobby (Parks) gave me a chance to try out,” said Stock in an interview the other day. “I remember one of the San Miguel imports was Nick Fazekas and I met Chris Banchero. Since I couldn’t get my dual citizenship papers right away, I decided to go back to school and I’ll be playing next semester for Northeast Lakeview Community College.”

Stock, a first cousin of former La Salle and PBA player Mark Benitez, inquired about joining the Green Archers varsity in the UAAP but ruled it out as he would be over the age limit of 24 after serving a one-year residence. Instead, he’s set his sights on the PBA D-League after playing for Northeast Lakeview.

“I’ve got 2 1/2 more years of school to finish my degree in kinesiology,” said Stock. “My ultimate dream is to play in the PBA. I’ve watched games in the internet. My uncle Serge (Alombro) arranged my tryout for San Miguel with coach Bobby. I think I can play in the PBA. In the local Filipino league, I’m averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from three-point distance. I play like Kevin Love because of my inside-outside game. I can hit the three but I can also post up.”

Stock was born in Guam and raised by his mother Carina Benitez and grandparents. He now lives in Texas with his mother and a younger sister. “I won’t be academically eligible to play for my school until the next semester,” he said. “I’ve kept busy playing in the local Filipino league which is open to all players with Filipino lineage. There’s no age requirement so in my team Astig coached by Jun Miro Eamiguel, we’ve got a 5-10, 13-year-old eighth grader C. J. Gonzales. The league has been around since the ‘80s and it’s run by commissioner Lyndon Duano. The defending champion is a team called Adoboys. We play two tournaments a year, each with a regular season of 10 to 11 games then the playoffs. In Austin, there are bigger Fil-Am tournaments and I’m playing in one on Nov. 2. One of the players recruited for a previous Austin competition was Moala Tautuaa who was with the Kuala Lumpur Dragons in the ABL last season. He was brought in by the Austin commissioner Rommel Corro.”

  Stock said he works out at Lifetime Fitness with NBA veterans like Antonio Daniels, Devin Brown and Ben Uzoh.  Both Daniels and Brown played for the Spurs. Daniels, 38, suited up for seven teams in 13 NBA seasons while Brown, 34, also played for seven teams in eight years. “I’ve learned a lot from Daniels,” said Stock. “He does camps and trains. Daniels is such an authority because of his NBA experience.”

Stock’s Northeast Lakeview teammate Val Wilson, 20, is a 6-3 combo guard who averaged 23 points as a freshman last season. Wilson said he, too, would like to play in the Philippines. He’s open to serving a one-year residence to gain eligibility as a collegiate player.

“I’m interested to play overseas and I’ve heard a lot of positive things about basketball in the Philippines,” he said. “My father is Hawaiian and my mother is from Georgia. My parents are both with the Army and that’s why we live in San Antonio. I play like Rudy Gay. I like to shoot, slash and play defense. I love defense more than anything else. I think that’s what I do best.”

Although Stock and Wilson live here, they’re not Spurs fans. Stock cheers for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Wilson roots for the Washington Wizards because he was born in Baltimore, almost next door to the capital city. Aside from being Northeast Lakeview teammates, they’re best friends and they work out together at the gym. Stock and Wilson met La Salle coaches Juno Sauler, Allan Caidic and Jun Limpot for lunch here the other day.

Limpot said Stock might be the second coming of Mike Hrabak, a Fil-Am who was the PBA’s second overall draft pick in 2001. Hrabak played in the PBA up to 2010. He was known as a deadly three-point shooter and led the league in triple accuracy in 2007-08.