Top rookies eligibility under close scrutiny

MANILA, Philippines - Before the souped-up teams kick off another expected scramble for the 74th UAAP title, they will have to first settle the eligibility issue of high-profile recruits like Bobby Ray Parks of National U and Greg Slaughter of Ateneo and the rest of the field.

UAAP president Ricky Palou of Ateneo said the eight member schools have been given until June 24 to submit their respective lineups along with documentations. The eligibility committee headed by Dean Lailani Gonzalo of University of the Philippines will convene four days later to go over the rosters.

“From there, they will decide which players will be eligible in the 74th season. Now if there are contentions, they will have to elevate it to the board, which has set an eligibility meeting on July 5,” Palou said during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue.

NU, the newly crowned Fr. Martin Cup titlist, intends to field in Parks, the celebrated son of seven-time PBA Bobby Parks, in the season that begins July 9.

The Bulldogs maintain that Parks has obtained a certification from the Department of Education that he has completed his high school requirements, and enrolled at NU as a freshman last year and should be given eligibility now.

But some quarters would likely stress the need to enforce the usual two-year residency period for Fil-foreigners.

NU athletic director Junel Baculi said they will present the documents to the board.

Questions may also be raised on the eligibility of Slaughter, Ateneo’s transferee from University of Visayas, purportedly for playing in the national team Smart Gilas while undergoing residency at Ateneo.

“There’s a rule that if you are under residency, you can’t play in other team or any other tournament but that does not hold true if you’re on the national team,” Palou said.

But sources said Slaughter is eligible to play because the UAAP Board reportedly gave him the approval to play for the national team.

“He (Slaughter) is in our lineup. If the eligibility committee says he can play, then he can play, just like Bobby Ray Parks,” Palou added.

If there’s one player that’s definitely not suiting up his season, it’s last year’s Finals MVP Ryan Buenafe.

“He’s not in the lineup this year because he’s basically overweight. Coach Norman (Black) feels that at 260 lbs, he can’t really contribute to the team,” Palou said. “He’s still with Ateneo, though, as he made the grade. But at 260 lbs, he can’t play; he really has to bring his weight down.”

Ateneo team manager Paolo Trillo said with an experienced player in Buenafe gone, “it will be a challenge for the other guys to step up and for the team to come together and play with a lot ot teamwork.”

He tagged Far Eastern U and Adamson as the toughest rival for Ateneo’s four-peat drive, parading a near intact lineup from last year, while NU and La Salle have both gone stronger. University of the East, University of Santo Tomas, and University of the Philippines could not be discounted either, said Trillo.

“Of course everybody will have their favorites in the UAAP. But the UAAP is a tough league - anybody can beat anybody,” Trillo said.