School's in session for this year's top 10 rookies

Now that Alaska's officially joined the Philippine Cup standings with a 72-83 loss to Ginebra a few minutes ago, we can finally assess the top 10 picks in this year's draft plus a couple of rookies who have managed to win their respective team's confidence.


JV Casio - PG - Powerade - INCOMPLETE
Casio fans will have to wait for a couple more weeks before they see their idol on the hard court. And I argue that it's for the better since by then he'll come in with little to no pressure as Powerade will either be contending for a quarterfinals spot with a then cohesive team or eliminated early. And yes, I will still stick to my prediction that Casio will not enjoy the same amount of success in the PBA as he did in the amateurs. The PBA point guard crop will be too fast (Alapag, Tenorio, Artadi, Castro, Labagala)/ big (Reyes, Cortez, Helterbrand, Raymundo, Arboleda, Miranda) for him.

Paul Lee - SG/PG - Rain or Shine - A+
He is cool, calm and collected on the floor. I have never seen a player as sneaky good as Lee in the PBA. Readers of this blog know that I like comparing players to those of yesteryears (i.e. L.A. Tenorio: Ronnie Magsanoc, Kelly Williams: Terry Saldana on jumping Jack steroids, Chito Loyzaga: Alex Crisano) so the closest probably would be Alaska 1996 era Jojo Lastimosa who had that air of quiet arrogance in him. A bald headed, behind-the-back dribbling, spin-moving Jojo Lastimosa 2011. Yep. Sounds just about right.

Chris Lutz - SG/SF - Petron - A
Lutz was able to take his game and fit it seamlessly into the Petron scheme of things. He moves well without the basketball, picks his spots and plays solid to great defense. Clearly, we were all wrong in saying that Lassiter was the better of the two back with SMART Gilas. The difference between his numbers and Lee's (which aren't that far off) Lee is a game-changer, Lutz is a solid role player (the difference between the Michael Jordans and Scottie Pippens of the basketball world).

Marcio Lassiter - SF/SG - Powerade - A
Can Lassiter learn to fit his game around Powerade's main man Gary David? All signs say yes, and while we're still waiting for Casio to return, the time is now for "Cali-Swag" to put up the numbers and build his reputation as a clutch player-slash-defensive gem.

Mark Barroca - PG - B-Meg - B-
Of all the rookies, Barroca probably had the most forgetful debut looking lost in Tim Cone's new and improved B-Meg squad and not making as big an impact as expected from a guy who's asked to handle the basketball. Again, I don't envy Barroca as PGs don't usually excel in the triangle (Abarrientos played more SG really while Tenorio was posting so-so numbers before Cone really loosened things up). A couple more pounds and a steady jumpshot is what Barroca needs to eventually supplant Roger Yap as B-Meg's PG.

Mac Baracael - PF/SF - Alaska - A

SMART Gilas' version of Ginebra's Ronald Tubid has arrived! In the Joel Banal-Alaska era, Baracael was asked to play PF and he delivered with the kind of inside forays expected from tweener forwards (face-to-the-basket jumpers and drives). Hopefully, Banal gives him a break and lets him play his natural small forward position against the bigger teams. I don't want to see Baracael getting hurt early in his career by a wayward elbow from the Peeks, Belgas and Penas.

Jason Ballesteros - PF/C - Meralco - C
Other than being flat out owned by Talk 'n' Text's Japeth Aguilar, Ballesteros failed to deliver in so many ways that it was rather disappointing for a SMART Gilas alumna. Not only did he fail to grab the ball by being his team's big man of the future, but he was outhustled by teammate Gabby Espinas on both ends of the floor who's three to four inches shorter than him but asked to play power forward.

Allein Maliksi - SG/SF - Barako Bulls - B+

There were several instances in the game versus Petron when I thought of Maliksi as a taller, more athletic and gym rat version of Kenneth Duremdes. This kid can score in several ways and has legit hops. If he gets the right amount of minutes and touches, he's my dark horse for the ROY award.

Reil Cervantes - PF/C - Ginebra - B

Played in the first game like a rookie out to prove himself and was benched in tonight's game for the same reasons. Cervantes will probably see daylight in the coming games as I'm putting money on Ginebra bigs Rico Villanueva and Billy Mamaril being injured at some point (like they have the past few seasons). He just needs to settle down, not be as excited and just crash the boards.

Dylan Ababou - SF/PF - Barako Bulls - INCOMPLETE

Oh Dylan. Maliksi deserved to be picked higher than you. We all know you can play, but at what position? The last I saw you with Gilas, you seemed bigger and slower than your UST days so are you a power forward or a small forward? I know that you're playing behind Danny Seigle and Jondan Salvador at Barako Bull, but behind your old "caddie" Maliksi as well who was no better than Anthony Espiritu when you were teammates?

Here are other rookies who made impressive debuts as well:


Magi Sison - PF/C - Shopinas.com - B+
He'll get his minutes and touches with Shopinas.com, if only he could add a few more pounds and watch YouTube mixtapes of Kerby Raymundo.

Pamboy Raymundo - PG - Talk n Text - B+

Tama si Chot Reyes. Me bayag si Raymundo maglaro. Matapang.

Eric Salamat - SG/PG - Alaska - B

He held his own as SG and PG for coach Joel Banal against Ginebra's Security Guard agency, but there was a point in the game when he was simply calling his own number and jacked three straight threes (made the first, missed the two-- WIDE).

Marc Agustin - SF/PF - Petron - B+
Who's your daddy? Why didn't we see this Agustin back with Adamson and settled for a guy who appeared to be "coasting" in the UAAP? He's slowly starting to carve a niche in his dad's team as a Freddie Abuda type of player who plays rugged defense and hustles for boards.

Rudy Lingganay - PG - Powerade - B+
It's funny because if someone asked me to compare Lingganay to a PBA player, I'd answer with "Celino Cruz." Guess what? They're teammates! So Lingganay subbing for Cruz pretty much ensures Powerade coach Bo Perasol that his marching orders are carried out the same way. A solid point guard who can be clutch when called upon.


And finally...


Julius Pasculado - PG - Alaska - INCOMPLETE
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint but anytime a Fil-Am flies in the country, I expect a lot from them. They should be good. They need to be, say, "takeover whoever's starting for a team" good. And so far, if Pasculado can't play ahead of an aging Brandon Cablay or a one-dimensional yet all-heart player like Eric Salamat (who didn't do his trademark salute in tonight's game in respect/ fear of the Ginebra crowd), then that says a lot about his abilities. The only thing going for him (as with Ababou) is that it's just one game, and hopefully we see more of Pasculado this conference.