Airfreight goes big and small

Aside from making 6-foot-8 behemoth Yancy de Ocampo the No. 1 pick, Airfreight 2100/FedEx also got away with the most high-profiled small man in the draft pool in Renren Ritualo, assuring the new PBA ballclub two young, talented players who could be the cornerstones of its initial campaign in the country’s premier pro league.

"We’re so happy we got the best big man and the best small man in the pool. We’ll likely build our team around them in our first year in the league," said FedEx president Lito Alvarez after the 2002 PBA Draft at the Glorietta in Makati yesterday.

Alvarez said he’s looking forward to have long-term deals with both De Ocampo and Ritualo. De Ocampo, however, said he’ll ask only for a two-year deal at the most.

Incidentally, De Ocampo and Ritualo were teammates at Welcoat Paints in the PBL. They used to be coach Junel Baculi’s 1-2 punch in the multi-titled squad.

There was hardly any surprise in the draft exercise with the big men, as expected, the first to be picked from the pool of 48 players. Ritualo was the first guard chosen from the pool, picked by Airfreight/FedEx No. 8 overall — the right acquired by the Express in a trade with Coca Cola involving Jeffrey Cariaso.

The Coca Cola Tigers, who also owned the No. 2 pick, took in 6-foot-8 Fil-Am forward Rafi Reavies, then Sta. Lucia Realty enlisted 6-foot-7 slotman Omanzie Rodriguez at No. 3, Shell acquired 6-foot-1 forward Chris Calaguio at No. 4, Red Bull got 6-foot-5 slotman Homer Se at No. 5, Alaska plucked 6-foot-6 forward Miguel Noble at No. 6 and Shell picked 6-foot-9 slotman Frederick Canlas at No. 7.

After Aifreight/FedEx chose Ritualo, Barangay Ginebra picked guard-forward Chester Tolomia then San Miguel enlisted forward Leonido Avenido to round out the first round.

The Express didn’t inherit second- and third-round picks in their purchase of the Tanduay franchise but they picked five more players — Fil-Am John Vitorio, Jerome Barbosa, Edrick Ferrer, Francis Aquino and Paolo Malonzo – in the succeeding rounds.

"Of course, si Yancy at Renren, walang question isa-sign up namin. Iyung iba pagaaralan pa namin," said Alvarez.

After Airfreight/FedEx, whose officials have said they will build up their team from the draft pool and the trade markets, Shell came up with the most number of picks as aside from picking Calaguio and Canlas in the first round, the team also took in Reinier Sison, Edwin Bacani, Rensy Bajar and Richard Melencio.

Coca Cola made former UST slotman Gilbert Lao the first pick in the second round then Christian Nicdao went to Talk N Text, Ercito Victolero to Sta. Lucia, Sison and Bacani to Shell, Jojo Manalo to Coca Cola, Gilbert Malabanan to Ginebra and Alvin Castro to San Miguel. Alaska passed up after the first round.

"We’re only looking for one forward so we picked Noble who reminds me of Rob Duat (of San Miguel)," said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

Forty-one of the 48 hopefuls were picked with Celino Cruz (Talk N Text), Junel Mendiola (Purefoods), Brandon Sison (Sta. Lucia), Dexter Racho (Purefoods), Willy Mejia (Red Bull), Bajar (Shell), Jason Misolas (Coca Cola), Aris Dimaunahan (Ginebra) taken in the third round.

The other players drafted are Danilo Capobres (Talk N Text), Richard dela Pena (Sta. Lucia), William Moody (Purefoods), Arnel Manalac (Red Bull), Francis Sanz (Talk N Text), Eugene Tan (Purefoods), Kenneth Gumpenberger (Red Bull), and Jacques Gottenbos (Talk N Text).

The teams have five days to tender offers to their respective draftees to keep the signing rights on the players. Otherwise, the draftee becomes unrestricted free agent.