New players on different teams will be a familiar sight in the coming Philippine Basketball Association preseason which officially begins today at the Caloocan City Sports Complex.
Blackwater will take on NLEX in the lone encounter at 5 p.m., but the Bossing, who had already introduced a new coach in Jeff Cariaso, won’t be able to have their new mentor when they face the Road Warriors.
Team owner Dioceldo Sy of Blackwater said that Cariaso can only join the team third week of July as he is still in the United States.
Cariaso’s assistant, Joe Silva, will call the shots for the time being, according to Sy.
But what’s worth watching are the familiar names who are looking at cracking the roster of the 12 competing squads.
Noy Baclao, who was recently released by Meralco, is trying out for a spot at San Miguel in the off-season along with the Beermen’s other aspirants that include John Apacible, Marvin Lee, Jason Opiso and Chester Saldua.
Isaac Go, the top overall pick in the Gilas special draft four years ago, who was sidelined for the most part of last season due to an anterior cruciate ligament tear, has been enlisted in the preseason by Terrafirma.
Other players nursing hopes of securing spots include Joseph Gabayni of TNT, Clifford Jopia, Damie Cuntapay, JV Gallego and Peter Alfaro, who will join the PBA Rookie Draft this year.
Norbert Torres, Jansen Rios, Fran Yu, Jeryl Espanola, Louis Co, Donald Gumaru, Abu Tratter, David Murrell, Kim Aurin and Mike Nieto are likewise strutting their stuff.
