Tag: finally

Draft finally takes place; salary cap resolution to follow

On: By: admin


Thea Gagate–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The first-ever PVL Rookie Draft happens Monday night at Novotel Hotel in Cubao, and the league can finally check off the first of two activities it wants to implement that would hopefully instill—and keep—parity across the field beginning with the upcoming Reinforced Conference.

Ex-La Salle standout and Alas Pilipinas middle blocking ace Thea Gagate looms as the No. 1 overall pick by ZUS Coffee, and unlike in the past when direct recruiting was allowed, the next 46 players in the pool will also go through the process of being drafted.

Unresolved salary cap

The second item in the PVL’s parity agenda remains to be unresolved at the moment, with the league and its team owners yet to come up with individual and team salary caps, something which is expected to be ironed out after the Draft.

“The good thing that I could see in the long-term is it brings out more excitement in the games. I hope that’s what the drafting does,” PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo told the Inquirer with a mix of Filipino on Sunday.

The PVL and the teams have agreed, however, on putting a cap on rookies, with the first five picks to be given a maximum of P150,000 on their first year. A uniform players contract (UPC), will also be asked of all teams for all its players, all of them to be submitted to the Games and Amusements Board and the Office of the Commissioner.

Other rules

Other than the UPC, the league has already discussed with the teams discipline regulations, team commitment agreements and code of ethics as early as December last year as the PVL looks to shift the calendar and start a new season in October and finish by September 2025.

League president Ricky Palou will soon propose a P50-million salary cap per year for each team.

“After the Draft ceremony, we’ll be sending out a survey to each team because based on the previous surveys, I think P50M [a year] is more or less okay,” Malonzo said. “It’s not too high, but it’s not too low also. It’s not an exorbitant amount for a yearlong program.”

The Draft proceedings will run until all of the 12 teams stop picking from the pool. INQ



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Quinto, the boy who dreamed, finally a PBA champion

On: By: admin


Meralco’s Bong Quinto recently paid a visit to the grave of his father and brought an item to show that he has arrived as a champion basketball player.

That was a championship shirt of the Bolts’ run in the PBA Philippine Cup, the culmination of a lifelong dream for Quinto, one which he obviously shared with his father.

“Nagbunga lahat ng panalangin mo para sa akin (All of your prayers have finally paid off),” Quinto wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.

Quinto became a PBA champion after his key role in the Bolts’ turnaround from the brink of missing the playoffs. In the Finals, his performance also downplayed why he was a huge steal as a second round pick in the 2018 Draft.

It’s also a full circle for Quinto, whose dream started when he watched a PBA game for the first time in 2007 at Cuneta Astrodome, where he saw the deciding Game 7 between Alaska and TNT for the Fiesta Conference title.

The Aces won that, and Quinto would see more games, cultivating his desire to one day become a PBA champion himself.

“Before I dreamt of winning a championship in college, I dreamt of becoming a PBA champion,” said Quinto in Filipino.

Also NCAA champ

He got an NCAA title in 2015 with Letran as part of the Cinderella “Mayhem” squad handled by rookie coach Aldin Ayo as they denied San Beda a fifth straight crown. He played three more years with the Knights, his versatility as a post player who can also play in the perimeter on full display.

But Quinto, a projected first-rounder, eventually ended up being picked 14th overall by the Bolts, who curiously had a chance to take him at No. 5 but chose guard Trevis Jackson instead.

Jackson is no longer in the league, and Quinto became a key fixture on the Meralco squad that made it to multiple semifinals and two Finals prior to this season, losing both times to Barangay Ginebra.

Quinto emerged as one of the key reasons for Meralco’s turnaround from 3-5 before eventually eliminating Ginebra in Game 7 of the semis. He also had key contributions in the Finals.

“I told the veterans that I was playing for them, because I know that at the end all of us will be the ones benefiting,” said Quinto.



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