Surprise was expected

With Rain Or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, you always expect the unexpected. So when PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa called out Maverick Ahanmisi as the Elasto Painters’ pick in the first round, it was par for the course. You knew Guiao would come up with a surprise which turned out to be Ahanmisi but the 6-0 5/8 Fil-Nigerian was probably more surprised than anybody that he was picked so early in the draft.

In the Philippine Cup last season, Guiao couldn’t have asked for more from his guards. His backcourt is overloaded with talent, counting on Paul Lee, Jeff Chan, Jonathan Uyloan, T. Y. Tang, Jireh Ibanes and Chris Tiu. Additionally, Gabe Norwood, Jeric Teng, Ryan Arana and Jericho Cruz may shift from three to two and even, one, depending on the matchups.

So why Ahanmisi? First, Guiao may be thinking of upgrading his guard corps. Ahanmisi will push the average performers to the limit. Second, Guiao might be loading up for a trade, not necessarily Ahanmisi as bait but as insurance in case others draw attention. If Ahanmisi impresses in training camp, he’ll stay for sure. It’s not often you get a legitimate NCAA Division I player in your fold. Ahanmisi, 24, played four years with the Univ. of Minnesota varsity, three under coach Tubby Smith and one under coach Richard Pitino. He scored a career-high 21 points against High Point U in 2014. In the PBA D-League, Ahanmisi led Café France to the Foundation Cup crown so the championship experience will come in handy particularly as RoS is a steady title contender.

In the offseason, Guiao traded Jervy Cruz to Globalport for Jewel Ponferada. It’s no secret that Guiao has chewed out Cruz for defensive lapses so that may have triggered the separation. Ponferada isn’t armed with Cruz’ range but he’s a banger inside, someone who won’t back down from bodying up an import. He’ll be at home learning the ropes from Beau Belga and J. R. Quinahan. Raymond Almazan isn’t as wide-bodied as Guiao’s three frontline bruisers but his length and athleticism are huge assets.

RoS’s other draft picks were Josan Nimes of Mapua, Don Trollano of Adamson and Simon Enciso of Notre Dame de Namur Univ. Nimes is a legit 6-3 forward who can do it all. He was the NCAA’s Rookie of the Year in 2011. Nimes was born here, migrated to Australia with his family when he was four, moved to Phoenix when he was 15 and is now building a future in the PBA. Trollano was in the initial list of Gilas Cadet invitees but showed up only on the first day of tryouts. The 6-2 1/4 forward from Adamson is reunited with his varsity teammate Jericho Cruz at RoS Enciso, 24, calls himself the Filipino D-Rose but it remains to be seen if he’s anything like the Chicago Bull star.

The valedictorian on Draft Day was Blackwater with eight picks. Coach Leo Isaac is rebuilding the Elite after a dismal rookie season where the team went 0-11 in the Philippine Cup, 3-8 in the Commissioner’s Cup and 1-10 in the Governors Cup. New veteran recruits are Mike Cortez, James Sena and Carlo Lastimosa. The draft picks are Art de la Cruz of San Beda, Almond Vosotros of La Salle, Jason Melano of St. Francis, Keith Agovida of Arellano, Jawhar Purdy of California State Stanislaus, Chris Palma of Arellano, Alvin Abundo of CEU and Randy Dilay of Dominican University.

De la Cruz, 23, and Vosotros, 25, are expected to make an immediate impact in the PBA. They’re both heady players with a high basketball IQ. De la Cruz is a fit at three or four and could complement either Reil Cervantes or Bambam Gamalinda. Vosotros is a deadshot from long range and a wily penetrator. A La Salle backcourt tandem of Cortez and Vosotros isn’t a remote possibility. Agovida will always be remembered for firing 82 points for Jose Rizal in an NCAA juniors win over Mapua, 127-49, in 2008.

There were 63 players available in the draft with only St. Benilde’s Jonathan Grey struck out of the original list due to his failure to play in the D-League. Nine of the 63 went undrafted – Eric Acuna and Carlo Gatmaitan of St. Clare, Alex Almario of Jose Rizal, Junar Arce of PCU, Dale Hodges of the Univ. of Canberra, Jul-Shri Ignacio of NU, Eric Miraflores and Adrian Santos of UE and Mark Montuano of Informatics. However, an undrafted player isn’t a hopeless case. Mark Yee, Jerwin Gaco, Josh Urbiztondo, Uyloan, Hans Thiele, Rudy Lingganay and Chico Lanete are examples of undrafted players who still made it to the PBA.

In the battle of big collegiate leagues, the NCAA had 18 picks to the UAAP’s 14. NU and San Beda showed the way with five picks each. The Bulldogs picks were Troy Rosario, Glenn Khonbuntin, Marion Magat, Lee Villamor and Robin Rono while the Red Lions picks were De la Cruz, Baser Amer, Garvo Lanete, Jaypee Mendoza and Michole Sorela. San Beda had the most first round picks with Lanete, Amer and De la Cruz. San Sebastian contributed four picks, namely, Bradwyn Guinto, Michael Miranda, Leo de Vera and Arvin Vitug. La Salle’s picks were Norbert Torres, Vosotros and Yutien Andrada while Mapua also had three with Nimes, Andretti Stevens and Michael Abad.

Grabbing seven picks each were Mahindra (formerly Kia) and NLEX. The Enforcers came away with Rosario, Guinto, De Vera, Mike DiGregorio, Alex Austria, Roberto Hainga and Abad. NLEX tapped Lanete, Khobuntin, Jansen Rios, Jerramy King, Alfred Batino, Edgar Tanuan Jr. and Vitug.

San Miguel had the least picks. Coach Leo Austria’s first opportunity to choose came in the third round with Jose Rizal’s Michael Mabulac. Stevens was SMB’s other draftee. Globalport also didn’t pick in the first two rounds but landed a spitfire in UE’s Roi Sumang. Coach Pido Jarencio’s other choices were Ryan Wetherell and UE’s Bong Galanza. The Batang Pier dealt Denok Miranda to TnT for Jay Washington so it opened a vacancy for a new guard to fill in. Sumang, Wetherell and Galanza will try to crash a crowded backcourt that is loaded with Stanley Pringle, Terrence Romeo, John Pinto, Paolo Taha and Marvin Hayes.