Today's biggest basketball news (with football's being the Azkals' loss to the mighty Kuwait team that pretty much showed the difference between a 90+ and a 160+ seed) is the recent application of two of Smart Gilas' more promising perimeter players-- Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz for the PBA Annual Draft.This comes as a big news since, both players are arguably the most PBA playoff rotation-ready of the Nationals (with Mac Baracael being the third) despite logging in so-so minutes (being forced to play behind "fixed" starter Chris Tiu, or out of position, substituting for each other at the Small Forward position). Also, it should be noted that there's a high possibility that both players will no longer suit up for Smart Gilas in 2012(depending on which team drafts them-- say, a greedy SMC franchise).
From what we've seen so far, Lassiter's game is a dead ringer for Utah Jazz guard Raja Bell. He is quick on his feet and is an excellent kick-out option from deep. He also slashes to the hoop from time to time, but he makes a living playing defense (I've often argued that Smart Gilas would be a more two-way potent team had they gone with a Casio-Lassiter-Baracael-Aguilar-Douthit starting unit).
Lutz on the other hand, doesn't have the same speed or tenacity as Lassiter but makes up for it with high basketball IQ and a trusty midrange jumpshot. In the PBA, he could be a very solid role player and would fit in disciplined teams such as Alaska or even Rain or Shine. Think Shell-era Tony de la Cruz before Tim Cone showed us all how a player of his talents should be utilized.
Hopefully, more Gilas players apply for the draft so we can see just how good they are playing against the country's best.
In my honest opinion, Andy Barroca needs to apply for the PBA (now that his stock is falling no thanks to the much improved PG play of former gungslinger-ok, he still is- JV Casio) as well as Dylan Ababou (no one remembers you or your UAAP MVP season anymore).
