A TOTAL of 11 Cebu products are trying their luck at playing on the country’s biggest basketball stage as they gear up for the Philippine Basketball Association(PBA) Draft Combine on Wednesday and Thursday at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
This will be the first Draft Combine that will be held since 2019 after it was shelved in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 75 players have thrown their names into the pool, one of which is the son of a former PBA player and renowned sharpshooter during his heyday.
That player is former University of Cebu wingman Kim Gomez, who is the son of former Alaska marksman, Rhoel Gomez. After playing out his collegiate career with the Webmasters, the younger Gomez went to Australia for work. He recently returned to the country to pursue his hoop dreams, and hopefully follow in the footsteps of his father, who won nine championships with the Alaska franchise during their storied run in the 90s.
Also in the list of PBA aspirants are several Cesafi products led by former Mythical Five member, John Reel Saycon, ex-Southwestern University-Phinma forward Red Cachuela, former University of San Jose-Recoletos studs Nichole Ubalde and Fletcher Galvez, former University of the Visayas aces Rhaffy Octobre and Orlan Wamar, ex-UC players Garexx Puerto and Andrey Armenion, and former University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers Lyndon Colina and Brylle Meca.
The PBA Draft Combine is a two-day event wherein the league tests players for record purposes. The end of the Combine will see players grouped into different teams and engage in a mini-tournament. (JNP)