Old Turks go, teams either intact or overhauled as season begins

Vergel Meneses is gone while Alex Cabagnot is back. Danny Ildefonso is sidelined by an injury while Bong Hawkins will be in the sidelines, elevated to assistant coaching chores. Champion teams Red Bull and Purefoods are returning with intact lineups while underachievers Barangay Ginebra and Coca-Cola are showing up with souped-up rosters.

These are among the things that won’t escape the attention of basketball fans as curtains rise for the opening of the 32nd PBA season at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday.

One new member ball club, more than two dozens of rookie players and 16 league veterans clad in new uniforms will be in showcase in the 2006-07 PBA season which will have its initial hostility in Guam, pitting Red Bull and Alaska Milk Thursday.

Ginebra and newcomer Welcoat clash in a lone game right after the opening rites Sunday then Purefoods opens its All-Filipino title defense against Talk n Text on Oct. 4 also at the Big Dome.

The Kings best represent teams that undertook a massive buildup in the off-season with the crowd favorites taking coach Jong Uichico from San Miguel and recruiting Johnny Abarrientos, Rudy Hatfield, Billy Mamaril and Rafi Reavis from Coca-Cola.

Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio, meanwhile, says "why fix when it ain’t broke" so his Giants are back with a lone new recruit in former Letran ace guard Boyet Bautista.

Red Bull, the Fiesta Cup titlist and All-Filipino runner-up, opted not to touch its old lineup at all although it may tap in veteran free agent Carlo Sharma as a reserve player.

Coca-Cola now sports an entirely new-look, Welcoat features a mix of veteran free agents and promising rookies, Sta. Lucia is unveiling top draft pick Kelly Williams and two other rookies in Mark Isip and Ronnie Bughao while Alaska, Air21, San Miguel, Sta. Lucia and Talk n Text are introducing one or two freshmen.

Meneses is out of Talk n Text, Cabagnot back with Sta. Lucia, Ildefonso confined in the San Miguel injured list and Hawkins elevated as assistant coach at Alaska.

The other rookies are Arwind Santos for Air21, Christian Luanzon for Alaska, Gabby Espinas and LA Tenorio for San Miguel, Mark Andaya for Talk n Text, Junjun Cabatu, JarY Reyes, Froilan Baguion, Jireh Inabes, and Jay Sagad for Welcoat and Ronajy Enrile, Joseph Yeo and possibly Manuel Caceres, Chris Pacana, RJ Rizada and Mike Gavino for Coca-Cola.

Only Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis has yet to finalize his lineup, enlisting only Yeo, Enrile, Dennis Miranda, Neil Raneses, Jason Misolas, John Arigo, William Antonio, Kalani Ferreria and Ali Peek so far. Fighting for the last three slots in the Coke roster are Caceres, Pacana, Rizada, Gavino and veterans Manny Ramos, Gerard Francisco and Allan Salangsang.

The Coca-Cola management has given Abarrientos and Dale Singson unconditional release. While Abarrientos has been absorbed by Ginebra, Singson remains in search of a new team.