Being the alma mater of Alvin Patrimonio, Atoy Co, and Freddie Hubalde, as well as PBA stars like Romulo Mamaril, Ricky Relosa, Leo Isaac, Vic "Rambo" Sanchez, Benny Cheng, Kevin Ramas, and current Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero, one would think that Mapua's rich basketball culture would never take a pitfall in the PBA.
But it did.
A season before the 2003 PBA Draft, the Cardinals had a Top 3 pick in Omanzie Rodriguez. Mapua also had a slew of Final Four appearances. However, for some reason, the PBA teams aren't buying their rich championship tradition. Players like Erwin Sta. Maria and Jerby Del Rosario never got out of the holding area. There was a five-season draft drought after the 2002 PBA Draft. Kelvin Dela Pena, their NCAA MVP, failed to score a first-round spot. In fact, from 2003 leading to the 2023 PBA Draft, Josan Nimes is the only Cardinal to secure a first-round selection.
So what am I talking about?
Check this out.
2003 TO 2023
LEGEND:
ON BLACK: DRAFTED PLAYERS WHO HAVE PLAYED IN THE PBA
ON RED: PLAYERS WHO WERE DRAFTED BUT NEVER GOT TO PLAY IN THE PBA
YEAR | PLAYER |
2003 | NONE |
2004 | NONE |
2005 | NONE |
2006 | NONE |
2007 | NONE |
2008 | RD 2 - PICK 15 | KELVIN DELA PENA |
2009 | RD 2 - PICK 15 | SEAN CO |
2010 | NONE |
2011 | NONE |
2012 | RD 2 - PICK 11 | YOUSEF TAHA RD 3 - PICK 25 | MARK SARANGAY RD 3 - PICK 26 | MACKY ACOSTA RD 4 - PICK 34 | JEWEL PALOMIQUE |
2013 | RD 4 - PICK 35 | MICHAEL PARALA |
2014 | RD 1 - PICK 12 | KEVIN ESPINOSA RD 2 - PICK 22 | GAB BANAL RD 3 - PICK 28 | KENNETH IGHALO RD 4 - PICK 38 | JONATHAN BANAL |
2015 | RD 1 - PICK 12 | JOSAN NIMES RD 4 - PICK 41 | ANDRETTI STEVENS RD 7 - PICK 52 | MICHAEL ABAD |
2016 | RD 2 - PICK 16 | JOSEPH ERIOBU RD 3 - PICK 25 | JESSIE SAITANAN |
2017 | NONE |
2018 | RD 4 - PICK 37 | CJ ISIT |
2019 | NONE |
2021 (S46) | RD 4 - PICK 41 | ANDREW ESTRELLA |
2022 (S47) | NONE |
2023 (S48) | NOTE: NOT COUNTED DUE TO RECENCY RD 2 - PICK 24 | ADRIAN NOCUM RD 5 - PICK 55 | WARREN BONIFACIO RD 6 - PICK 63 | CHRISTIAN BUNAG RD 6 - PICK 65 | JERIC PIDO |