Shell offers Jackson P30M

Keen on keeping Chris Jackson in the team, Shell Velocity has restructured its offer to its defensive ace, tendering a P30 million contract for five years.

Shell officials gave Jackson the draft of the new offer yesterday amid reports that the 6-foot-4 five-year pro was already entertaining offer sheets from Tanduay Rhum and Barangay Ginebra.

Shell team manager Bobby Villarosa said there's no way they will let go Jackson even if they were to match bigger offers from other ballclubs.

Tanduay and Ginebra are two of several teams seriously contemplating on tendering Jackson an offer sheet as the Fil-Am cager has emerged one of the league's finest role players, giving Shell immense help in its title conquests in the 1998 Governors' Cup and the 1999 All-Filipino Conference.

Turning pro in 1995 after a stint with Chowking in the PBL, Jackson made it to the All-Defensive team four times the last five years and was even named Defensive Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999 by the PBA Press Corp.

Re-signing with Shell yesterday was Joel Dualan. The bulky forward out of University of Manila signed a two-year contract.

Earlier, Shell, in its bid to shore up its frontline rotation, enlisted MBA player Art del Rosario.