Fireworks are expected to explode as Ara Galang throws her name into the 2016 PSL Draft.
Reigning UAAP champion Ara Galang of De La Salle University and former NCAA Best Attacker CJ Rosario of Arellano University will banner the 16 rookie aspirants in this prestigious event that will be aired live over TV5 starting 5:00pm.
Galang, the 21-year old former UAAP Most Valuable Player, was the talk of the town after declaring that she will not throw her hat into the draft pool to focus on her academics while recuperating from a knee injury. But in a stunning development, Galang showed up in the Rookie Camp at the FilOil Flying V Center last Tuesday, sparking speculations that she will be joining the selection process and might even land as the top overall pick.
She told league officials that she will be joining the draft, hoping to end up with the new-look F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, which will be bannered by Mika Reyes, Cyd Demecillo, Kim Fajardo, Kim Dy,and other former member of the Lady Spikers.
Prior to that, the consensus top pick is Rosario, a 6’1″ middle blocker who already gained PSL experience after helping the Petron Tri-Activ Spikers reach the semifinals of a pre-season tournament last month.
RC Cola-Army, the owner of top overall pick, admitted that picking between Galang and Rosario is a “very beautiful problem” since both spikers are capable of becoming a vital piece in their bid to win their fourth PSL crown.
“Both of them are very good. They are the rising stars in this league,” said RC Cola-Army coach Kungfu Reyes. “But we haven’t sat down to discuss our draft choice. This is a very crucial decision. We have to do a lot of research and studying before coming up with a choice.”
It is now a toss-up between CJ Rosario and Ara Galang for the top pick in the 2016 PSL Draft
PSL president Ramon Suzara said this year’s draft will go down as the dramatic and unpredictable selection process due to the implementation of a three-day trading period that could change the complexion and order of the draft.
“We don’t know who will end up with whom,” Suzara, an executive council member of the FIVB who also holds an important position with the AVC, said. “For now, RC Cola-Army owns the top overall pick. But we may never know. Maybe they have already traded their pick to another team to acquire a veteran who can help them win another title. Let’s wait until the draft proper.”
Aside from Galang and Rosario, also expected to be tapped in the first round are former Arellano stalwarts Dana Henson, Shirley Salamagos and Angelica Legacion as well as Asi Soliven of National University, Mary Grace Berte of Holy Cross of Davao and Marlyn Llagoso, and Jerra Mae Pacino of Southwestern University in Cebu.
Also in the pool are Renelyn Raterta of University of Mindanao, Jonah Sabete of Bulacan State University, Gen Casugod of Far Eastern University, Sheryl Laborte of University of Negros Occidental, Lourdes Patilano of Adamson University, Sarina Bulan of University of the East, and Christine Suyao of Emilio Aguinaldo College.
RC Cola-Army will be picking first in the original draft order followed by Generika, Perpetual, Standard Insurance-Navy, F2 Logistics, Cignal, Petron and Foton.
