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MANILA, Philippines – In a move that came as no surprise, the Cagayan Valley Rising Suns selected Fil-Tongan 6-foot-7 big man Moala Tautuaa as the first overall pick in the 2014 PBA D-League Draft held at the PBA Office in Libis, Quezon City on Monday, September 15.
Expected to be one of the top picks in the 2015 PBA Draft, Tautuaa will first spend the next few months in the D-League as part of his residency as a Filipino-foreign before becoming eligible to turn pro.
Tautuaa is currently suiting up for the Malaysia Dragons in the Asean Basketball League, where he’s averaging 11.1 PPG and 6.5 RPG.
Going second in the D-League Draft to Tanduay Light was Ateneo second-year man Chris Newsome, whose Blue Eagle teammate, Nico Elorde, was taken by Hapee-San Beda as the ninth pick in the third round.
Rounding up the top three is DLSU big man and 2013 UAAP Most Improved Player of the Year Arnold Van Opstal, who will suit up for Café France-CEU in the upcoming Aspirants Cup of the D-League, which begins on October 27 at the Ynares Sports Arena.
With the fourth pick, Cebuana Lhuillier attained Van Opstal’s teammate at La Salle, Norbert Torres, who’s currently playing his last season with the Green Archers in the UAAP. Going fifth was Kris Rosales to Jumbo Plastic, while FEU Tamaraws starting center Anthony Hargrove was selected sixth overall by M-Builders-FEU.
University of the East star Roi Sumang was selected first overall in the second round and will team up with Newsome at Tanduay Light. His Red Warriors teammates Bong Galanza (second round, third pick) and Chris Javier (second round, ninth pick) were also taken by Café France-CEU and Hapee-San Beda, respectively.
UST’s Rob Hainga was taken seventh by Wangs Basketball, followed by Fabren Redoh who was picked eighth by Racal-St. Claire.
Maverick Ahanmisi (Hapee-San Beda), Rizalde Angeles (AMA Titans), Hernal Escocio (MP Hotel), and John Azores (Bread Story) round up the rest of the first round draftees.
Meanwhile, CSB Blazers stalwart Jonathan Grey was picked up by Cagayan Valley in the second round, which was also where Achie Inigo of FEU was claimed by M-Builders-FEU. Later on in the third round, the third big man from the Green Archers was drafted as Yutien Andrada went 27th overall to Café France-CEU.
DLSU shooter Almond Vosotros fell to the fourth round where Cebuana Lhuillier took him with the fourth pick.
Other UAAP players selected late include Kent Lao of UST and JR Gallarza of UP, both of whom went in the sixth round to Tanduay Light and M-Builders-FEU, respectively.
A total of 153 hopefuls applied for the D-League Draft.
– Rappler.com
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