Fil-Ams’ fate in balance

Only 13 Fil-Ams beat the deadline to submit their Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmations of citizenship the other day but the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) isn’t guaranteeing they will be eligible for the draft this Sunday until the papers are authenticated by the government agency.

A PBA source said the final list of draft eligibles will be released today after finishing the authentication process.

Beating the deadline were Mike Cortez, Paul Ferreira, Clarence Cole, Jimmy Alapag, Francis Rauschmayer, Tom Arceno, William Villa, Harvey Carey, Leo Yanegacio, Rob Johnson, Sunny Boy Margate, Brandon Cablay and Crispin Guinto.

The 13 players were born abroad. Cortez, Alapag, Arceno, Carey, Yanegacio, Johnson, Margate and Guinto were born in the US Mainland. Ferreira, Villa, and Cablay were born in Hawaii. Cole was born in Panama and Rauschmayer, in Japan.

Three US-born in applicants carrying Filipino passports are Sanley de Castro, Eugene Tejada and Richard Hardin. Tejada’s father Danny was a former San Beda player. A Belgium-born applicant Gabe Pagtama also carries a Filipino passport.

PBA commissioner Noli Eala said he will scrutinize the Filipino passports of US-born applicants to determine if they were used in entering the country.

An applicant Richard Michael, born in Makati to an Australian father and a Filipina mother, submitted a certification from the Bureau of Immigration that his papers are being processed. Michael carries an Australian passport. As he could not produce a DOJ confirmation, it is likely Michael will be scratched from the draft roster.

A foreign-born player who failed to beat the deadline was Michael Tablan. The 5-11, 165-pound point guard was born in Winnipeg, Canada. It was not certain if Tablan carries a Filipino passport.

A sure dropout from the applicants roster is ex-MBA player Cid White who was born in Olongapo to an American father and Filipina mother. White carries an American passport. To be eligible for a Filipino passport, White must renounce his American citizenship as he was born in 1970 or before the cutoff year 1973 which allows for dual recognition.

Chit Narvasa, president of AYN Sports Management, told The STAR yesterday he was asked by White for advice on what to do. Narvasa said at 32, White would limit his options if he chose to give up his American citizenship. As White failed to obtain a DOJ confirmation, he automatically becomes ineligible for the draft.

Cleared to join the draft were Filipino-born players who grew up in the US and are Filipino passport holders. In this category are included Mark Caguco, Billy Mamaril, and Dusty Coloso.

Mamaril’s father Romy and Coloso’s father Tim are PBA veterans so their bloodlines are clear. Purefoods coach Eric Altamirano has reportedly inquired about Coloso’s availability.

Filipino-born applicants living abroad are expected to submit their Filipino passports to prove their citizenship. Two applicants in this group are Richmond de los Cientos and Christian Gavina whose parents are full-blooded Filipinos. Another applicant Dennis Moranto claimed to be born here but listed Australian schools in his scholastic resume.

Six Fil-Ams who applied for the draft last year but dropped out because they failed to beat the deadline for DOJ confirmation are back, this time with their citizenship papers. They are Alapag, Margate, Arceno, Rauschmayer, Yanegacio and Johnson.

Alapag, 25, was picked for the national team tryouts last year and played a game for Selecta in the Governors Cup before fracturing his right hand. Margate has played for Laguna in the MBA. Arceno, 24, was John Arigo’s teammate in the US Filipino league where he averaged in twin digits two years ago. Rauschmayer, 23, was the MVP in the 1997 US Filipino league All-Star Game where he shot 41 points. Yanogacio, 24, averaged 15 points and 5.8 rebounds in 25 games as a 6-2 guard for the Rutgers-Newark University varsity two years back. Johnson, 23, is a six-foot, 213-pound guard who earned his spurs at Bellevue University.

Photokina executive Geroge Balagtas said Rauschmayer has the ability to outshine the likes of Mark Caguioa and Jay-Jay Helterbrand.

In a personal assessment of his skills, Yanogacio said: "I feel that if a small person is on me, I can post him up and score. If a big and tall person is guarding me, I can beat him off the dribble and score. I feel I can guard anybody from point guard to power forward."

Three Hawaii-born applicants are Ferreira, Villa, and Cablay. Ferreira, 23, is a 6-3, 195-pound forward whose father Leopoldo is from San Quintin, Pangasinan. He has played for San Juan and Pangasinan in the MBA. Villa, 26, is a 6-2, 230-pound forward who played at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, one of Asi Taulava’s schools. His father William is from Ilocos Norte and mother Renee is a Filipina-Hawaiian. In 1999, Villa played briefly for the SK Knights in the Korean league. Cablay, 24, played at Vanguard University.

Other Fil-Am applicants gaining serious looks from PBA scouts are Cole, Carey, Hardin, and Guinto.

Cole, 21, is a 6-5, 210-pound forward who is playing for John O in the Philippine Basketball League. His mother Aida Estipona is from Tarlac. Carey, 23, is a 6-3, 225 pound forward whose mother Rosita is a Filipina. He played for Skyline Junior College like Margate and Sonoma State like Jeffrey Cariaso. Hardin, 26, is a six-foot, 180-pound guard who starred in football at Fort Hays State (ex-import Ronnie Thompkins’ alma mater) and basketball at Southwestern College. His mother Esperanza de la Cerna is from Cebu and father Richard Glenn is from Iowa. He was born in San Diego.

Guinto, 26, is a 6-6, 245-pound center who once saw action for the Pampanga Dragons in the MBA. He was born in Hayward, California, to Filipino parents from Masantol, Pampanga. Guinto was MVP of the Fil-American Basketball Association of San Francisco in 1998-99.