High hopes for Belorio in Draft

MANILA, Philippines - Jonathan Belorio, former skipper of  the Letran Knights, is expected to be picked high in the 2014 Philippine Basketball Association Draft set to be held on Sunday at Robinson’s Ermita in Manila.

Measured at 6’3, the high-leaping Belorio was a member of the 2012 Letran team which battled San Beda in the finals alongside fellow draft applicant Kevin Alas and Rain or Shine’s Raymond Almazan.

The Knights may have lost in the finals, but collegiate fans remember Belorio as a versatile big man, who can score from inside and out and can easily play the no. 3 and 4 spots, a rare skill that would serve him well in the pro league.

A native of Zamboanga, Belorio hopes to join his fellow Zamboanguenos who had already made it big in the PBA such as Mark Barocca, RR Garcia and Rudy Lingganay.  In the amateur ranks, Zamboanguenos who  are slowly making their mark include Mark Tolomia of the Far Eastern University, Gino Jumadas of UE and Gilas’ Garvo Lanete.  

“I am proud to be a Zamboangueno.  Iba ang puso ng  Zamboangueno, and if given the chance in the PBA draft, I  would work hard to prove my worth as a player and carry the pride of Zamboanga and the entire Mindanao island,”  Belorio said.