Tag: aspirants

Justine Baltazar, RJ Abarrientos lead PBA Rookie Draft aspirants

On: By: admin


FILE– Justine Baltazar is vying for a spot in a PBA team. UAAP PHOTO

Seventy players submitted applications to take part in the PBA Rookie Draft set July 14 at Glorietta in Makati City, the league said Friday.

Justine Baltazar, Sedrick Barefield, Dave Ildefonso, RJ Abarrientos, Caelan Tiongson and Kai Ballungay were among the prominent names expected to be the top picks from the list which has a significantly fewer number of aspirants than last year’s record field of 128.

Converge owns the top pick followed by Blackwater, Terrafirma, Phoenix, NorthPort, NLEX, Rain or Shine with two picks, Magnolia, Barangay Ginebra, Meralco and San Miguel Beer.

Baltazar was initially tagged as a cinch of being chosen by the FiberXers, but the entry of other fancied talents may shatter those expectations.

READ: As deadline expires, PBA Draft pool suddenly ‘interesting’

Other familiar players were able to turn in their draft papers, namely Jerom Lastimosa, Ben Phillips, Evan Nelle, CJ Cansino, Jonnel Policarpio, Paolo Hernandez, Mark Nonoy and Brandon Ramirez.

The list could be trimmed after next week’s draft combine at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City as the league will screen all requirements submitted.

Applicants are mandated to take part in the two-day combine, provided they have valid excuses.

READ: Converge has franchise find as Justine Baltazar enters PBA Draft

Barefield, Tiongson and Ballungay are among the 19 players listed by the league as Filipino-foreigners, needing only to submit a Philippine passport to be eligible.

Other draft applicants are Roel Alcaide, Peter Alfaro, Ronelle Jordan Arciaga, Jordan Bartlett, Darwish Vince Bederi, Romulo Victor Berjay, Jared Brown, CJ Catapusan, Miguel Corteza, Jason Credo, Mark Neil Cruz, Lugie Cuyos, Robbie Darang, Franz Diaz, Miguel Johannes Educalani and Martin Enriquez.

Francis Escandor is also joining the draft along with Patrick Feliciano, Aaron Matthew Garcia, Alfren Gayosa, Bill Geolingo, Ahmad Didat Hanapi, Pao Javillonar, Jeff Daniel Jose, Felix Lemetti, Pio Longa, JP Magullano, Germy Mahinay, Michael John Malonzo, Agem Miranda, Derohn Mitchell, Chino Mosqueda, Avan Nava, Toan-Anh Nguyen, Khenn Osicos, Adrian Partosa and Francis Patricio.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

CJ Payawal, David Kenneth Penney, Keith Pido, Jayson Puray, Jielo Razon, Kurt Reyson, Ralph Robin, Ronan Santos, JP Sarao, Abdul Wahad Sawat, Jade Talampas, Xyrus Torres, John Lawrence Uduba, Conner Verdugo, Marko Adonis Villorente and Denzel Wong complete the list.

PVL aspirants Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel focused on Alas stint

On: By: admin


Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel and Alas Pilipinas during a VNL meet and greet at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel politely declined to talk about their entry to the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft as their main focus is representing Alas Pilipinas’ upcoming FIVB Championship Challenger Cup campaign from July 4 to 7 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Gagate and Coronel, who are among the 47 rookie aspirants, are part of the Alas training pool anew after helping the team earn a historic bronze medal in the AVC Challenge Cup last month.

“Tuloy tuloy pa rin po yung training namin. Non-stop kasi ibang level of competition na ito so kailangang tiyagain,” said Gagate, who is the starting middle blocker of the nationals.

READ: Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel lead first PVL rookie draft aspirants

Like the La Salle tandem, National University MVPs Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, who didn’t enter the draft after the June 12 deadline, also respectfully refused to comment about their decision not to go pro in the PVL, choosing to focus with Alas.

Two-time UAAP MVP Belen said she’s slowly improving her jelling with the team, while Solomon still has a check-up on a nagging injury.

Coronel, the backup setter of Jia De Guzman, said the team is preparing well for AVC champion Vietnam, which they will face in a do-or-die game in the Challenger Cup with the winner advancing to the next round against the triumphant squad between Argentina and Czech Republic.

READ: Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon skip PVL Draft, stay with NU Lady Bulldogs

Also vying for the lone VNL spot are Belgium, Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Kenya.

“We already know who we’re going to be up against, which is Vietnam so as early as now we’re already making adjustments in training,” she said.

The Lady Spikers also relished their fan meet before the VNL games on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Of course, very happy kami na at least sa ganitong paraan, mapapasaya namin yung mga Filipino fans so we hope to meet a lot of them,” Gagate said.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel headline PVL rookie draft aspirants

On: By: admin


FILE – Alas Pilipinas stars and La Salle standouts Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel (left and second to left) join the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas players Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel were among the 47 aspirants — mostly composed of UAAP and NCAA student-athletes — joining the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft on July 8.

The La Salle pair, who were part of the Philippines’ historic bronze medal in the AVC Challenge Cup, will be part of the league’s historic Rookie Draft with their fellow Lady Spikers Maicah Larroza and Leila Cruz.

The PVL trimmed the total number of applicants from 50 to 47 after the June 12 deadline.

Gagate is a three-time 1st Best Middle Blocker in the UAAP and won the Season 85 title last year before settling for a bronze this season. Cruz, who suffered an ACL injury in 2023, has thrown her name to the draft after sitting out in Season 86 and is also listed as a middle blocker from playing as an opposite spiker.

READ: How the rise of PVL, PH volleyball has put the sport on a pedestal

Ateneo libero Roma Mae Doromal is also part of the historic draft with Pierre Abellana of the University of Santo Tomas, the runner-up of the UAAP as the 47 aspirants will have a two-day Draft Combine from June 25-26 at Gameville Ballpark in Sheridan, Mandaluyong.

Adamson has seven aspirants in outside spikers Lucille Almonte and Ishie Lalongisip, opposite spiker AA Adolfo, setters Nikka Yandoc and Angge Alcantara, libero Karen Verdeflor, and middle blocker Sharya Ancheta. University of the Philippines has three players in Abi Goc (outside hitter), Jewel Encarnacion (outside hitter), and Stephanie Bustrillo (opposite spiker), while University of the East has three aspirants Dara Nieva (opposite spiker) and liberos Jenina Zeta and Dea Villamor.

NU stars stay put

Alyssa Solomon Bella Belen Alas Pilipinas

FILE–National University’s Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen during the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, who drew huge interest after leading National University to its second UAAP title in three years and winning the Season and Finals MVP, respectively, didn’t apply for the PVL draft. Inquirer sources bared that they decided to stay for another title defense.

Training pool players from NU, CJ Evangelista, La Salle’s Caroline Santos, Ysabela Bakabak, and Giliana Torres, former UST Tigress Mary Grace Vernaiz, and former UE Lady Warrior Remcel Santos also entered the draft.

The draft will also feature Filipino-Foreign players with Aleiah Torres of Brock University and Nathalie Ramacula of Red River College Polytechnic as well as other players nationwide, Lovely Zapf and Lian Macasiray from DLSU-Dasmarinas, Andrea Jardio of Lyceum-Alabang, Jamie Solina from Marinduque State, Danya Casino of Trinity, and Danivah Aying from USJ-R.

READ: UAAP: Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon take their time to enjoy NU title

NCAA players are also joining with Letran’s Daisy Melendres and Bay Anne de Leon; Arellano’s Dodee Batindaan, Robbie Mae Matawaran, Lorraine Pecana, Donnalyn Paralejas, and Charmina Dino; EAC’s Catherine Almanzan; Lyceum’s Camille Belaro; San Beda’s Maxinne Tayag and Lalaine Arizapa; San Sebastian’s Jewelle Bermillo; and Perpetual Help’s Razel Aldea and Sandra Dayao.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

The live draft lottery determining the order of the first four picks between Zus Coffee, Farm Fresh, Capital1, and Galeries Tower will be held on the June 24 episode of The Starting Lineup, which airs on RPTV and Pilipinas Live.