Thus, the Hapee Toothpaste Philippine candidates team became depleted all the more with Johnny Abarrientos and Danny Ildefonso still undergoing rehabilition of their own injuries while Romel Adducul’s inclusion remains uncertain pending clearance from the MBA.
The big question is whether national coach Jong Uichico and his staff will still consider Castillo for the RP team even if he does not join the training teams in the opening conference of the 2002 PBA season.
After the Governors Cup, Uichico is to choose from the 30-man candidates pool the team that will embark on a mission to win the elusive gold medal in the Busan Asian Games.
Purefoods team manager Rene Pardo told The STAR Castillo’s doctors said the Fil-Am hotshot will only be back in game shape after two months.
Castillo underwent surgery in the famous Kerlan Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. The doctors have yet to allow the player to travel back to the Philippines.
Left to play for the Hapee Toothpaste Philippine candidates team are Abarrientos, Ildefonso, Boyet Fernandez, brothers Andy and Danny Seigle, Don Camaso, Rudy Hatfield, Mick Pennisi, Davonn Harp, EJ Feihl, Marlou Aquino and Renren Ritualo.
The other RP candidates team, sponsored by Selecta, isn’t spared of injuries. Kenneth Duremdes, Olsen Racela, Jeffrey Flowers and Dennis Espino are nursing various injuries but they’re expected to be back in top shape before the tournament ends.
Meanwhile, with the team loaning its two premier guards – Castillo and Fernandez – to the national pool, Purefoods decided to hire the services of Junel Mendiola.
At the same time, Purefoods tapped Sioux Falls mainstay Leonard White to team up with Derrick Brown as the Hotdogs’ imports.
In other developments, Red Bull and Alaska Milk completed their respective rosters by signing up Edmund Reyes and Bryan Gahol to one-year contracts.
Airfreight 2100/FedEx offered free agent Egay Billones a contract but Barangay Ginebra wanted a future draft pick from the new PBA ballclub, saying it owns the signing right on the veteran SEA Games campaigner. Ginebra picked Billones in the PBA draft two years ago.
Airfreight/FedEx is also still in the thick of a contract dispute with Bong Hawkins. With their dispute far from settled, Airfreight FedEx held Hawkins’ salary for the month of January.