NCAA aces, Fil-Ams join PBA draft

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 11 applicants, including three foreign-bred players and a one-time NCAA Most Valuable Player (MVP), are among those who made themselves available for the coming 2010 PBA Rookie Draft.

John Wilson of Jose Rizal University and Josh Thomas Vanlandingham lead the early aspirants in the league’s first official activity for its 36th season.

The annual event is set Aug. 29 at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig.

Wilson is the 6-foot-3 wily Heavy Bomber guard who steered JRU to the NCAA Final Four last year, on his way to winning the season’s MVP award. He also suited up for Oracle and Fern C in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Vanlandingham, meanwhile, hails from Seattle,USA and saw action for Everett CC. Upon arriving here, he played for Hapee Toothpaste in the PBL that placed runner-up to Harbour Center and had had for teammates current Rain or Shine stalwarts Gabe Norwood and Jervy Cruz as well as Barako Coffee’s Reed Juntilla..

The 26-year old forward also happens to be the great grandson of Filipino Olympic medalist, the late swimming great Teofilo Yldefonso.

Aside from Vanlandingham, the other Fil-Am players in this year’s draft are Robert Francis Simpson Jr. from Eckerd College and Sean Paranada of Chabot College. Simpson had stints with Cossak/Cobra in the PBL.

Foreign-bred players wishing to join the Draft have until Wednesday to submit their applications and other pertinent papers.

 Another notable names who already applied are San Sebastian College’s Jimbo Aquino, Philippine Christian University’s Liztian Amparado and high-scoring Letran guard Rafael Joey (RJ) Jazul Jr.

Aquino, of course, is best remembered for steering the Stags to a stunning 2-0 sweep of mighty San Beda Red Lions in last year’s NCAA championship series, where he emerged as the unanimous choice as Finals MVP.