RD 1 PICK 3 – JEO AMBOHOT
RD 1 PICK 4 – JUSTIN ARANA
RD 1 PICK 7 - TYRUS HILL (ACQUIRED FROM NLEX)
RD 1 PICK 9 - KURT LOJERA (ACQUIRED FROM BLACKWATER)
RD 2 PICK 15 – KAMERON VALES
RD 3 PICK 27 – JOLLO GO
I’ll usually go high-low especially if the picks are within the Top 5 range. But in some ways, I understand. Bigs are always important in drafts and you just can’t discount the potential of Jeo Ambohot and Justin Arana. I guess the FiberXers thought Arana’s Gilas status can be solved by Ambohot but this also places the question of whether they are prepping up for Abu Tratter’s decision. Whenever a pick is a 1-2 combo, I always remember that the last person pick gets the “Marty Jannetty” effect. This was like when Nonoy Baclao was picked over Rabeh Al-Hussaini and in some ways, LA Tenorio and Gabby Espinas – the first person drafted pretty much get the better career. With that said, it’s not always the case especially if you look at the situation of Ken Bono and JR Quinahan (with Quinahan getting the better career) and JC Intal and Doug Kramer (their careers are practically equal).
And also, a potential trade could be in the works. For a Pampanga-based owner, he’s going to like their homegrown bets. Perhaps Ambohot is going to Northport for Arwind Santos... or Arana moving to Magnolia for Ian Sangalang?
Converge also got Kameron Vales in the second and Jollo Go in the third round. I thought Go is a steal in round three but I know nothing about Vales – though both have some sort of association with the DLSU Green Archers. I don’t know if their roster can accommodate all four players but the thing about Jollo Go is that he also excelled in the 3X3 Game.
But then came the article add-on. With Converge acquiring Tyrus Hill and Dave Murrell from NLEX for a future first-round pick. Maybe Converge is going to tank next season unless Terrafirma and Blackwater have something to do about it (see the Jeremiah Gray trade)? The Hill trade came as a shock but most definitely, this favors the DLSU player because he's going to have the opportunity to state his case. Abu Tratter could be leaving the team and Hill is going to be a good insurance policy just in case.
And here's an update. Converge just acquired Kurt Lojera from Blackwater for Yousef Taha. Not to discount Taha but this is pretty much a giveaway by the Bossings to the FiberXers. Lojera is a great talent although I don't know how he'll fit a team with four first-round picks (even if Arana has the Gilas tag). Again with Taha, there is a difference between the Ginebra-Terrafirma trade and this Converge-Blackwater swap.
Lojera is a young player that could develop into a marketable star whereas Taha is a 33-year-old big man that has been swapped eight times. There is still a chance for Converge to bank on Lojera but I doubt if Blackwater would bank on Taha. At least Jeremiah Gray - regardless of health - will play second fiddle to every popular Gin still on that team by the times he becomes ready. Javi Gomez de Liano meanwhile is expected to maximize the playing time he's going to get at Terrafirma.