Fash fast-tracks PBL buildup

Reigning 2003 Platinum Cup champion Fash Liquid Laundry Detergent has made significant moves in its attempt to be competitive again after losing key players in the pre-season.

Liquid Power coach Junel Baculi yesterday said they have trimmed a big group to just eight players to fill up the remaining six slots vacated by their starters last conference.

"We have trimmed down our candidates to the team down to eight players to fill up six slots," said Baculi, who now has six titles as a coach including two for the Lamoiyan franchise.

Baculi was referring to Mark Macapagal, Emerson Oreta, Ollan Omiping, Ronnie Matias, Mike Bravo, Jeff Napa, Arjun Cordero and Mark Saquilayan.

Reports though point to Macapagal, a swingman who was a member of the 2002 NCAA champion San Sebastian College; Oreta, formerly of Sunkist-University of Santo Tomas and Matias, a 6-foot-4 rookie out of University of Manila, as the players who have a clear shot at booking spots in the Fash team.

"We’ll continue to hold practices for these players and see if they fit into our team and by next week, we might come with a final list," Baculi added.

To date, Ryan Dy, Eugene Tan, Francis Mercado, Joel Dualan and Clark Moore were the only remnants of the team that defeated Welcoat Paints, 3-2, in last conference’s finals.

June Peter Simon, MVP of both the conference and the title series, Wesley Gonzales, Rich Alvarez, this year’s top PBA rookie draft pick, Niño Gelig and Allan Salangsang have gone to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) while Larry Fonacier, LA Tenorio, JC Intal and Paulo Bugia were loaned to Ateneo-Lee Pipes.

Fash have also acquired Reed Juntilla, a taller prototype of Simon, from its farm team in Cebu City-Hapee Toothpaste–as incentive by the league for losing a lot of players.

So far, Welcoat, Montana Pawnshop, Viva Mineral Water and Blustar Detergent have benefited in getting quality players either from the pro-ranks or the dispersal and rookie drafts.