Good problems do exist, and Blackwater is facing one.
The Bossing are still in the process of choosing who to pick with the no. 1 selection for Sunday’s PBA Season 47 Rookie Draft, and the ball club knows that they can’t go wrong with whoever it is among the choices on board.
Interim head coach Ariel Vanguardia disclosed that the team is only looking at three names to choose from: seasoned big man Brandon Rosser, De La Salle standout Justine Baltazar, and G-League veteran Sedrick Barefield.
“Tatlo na lang ‘yung pinagpipilian namin sa top pick: Baltazar, Barefield, tsaka Rosser,” the veteran mentor told Tiebreaker Times on Election Day.
Blackwater will pick first in the May 15 proceedings following a harrowing campaign in the 46th season, where it lost 29 consecutive games — 11 clear of the previous league record of futility set by Great Taste/Presto in 1980.
It finally broke the curse last March 9 with a 101-100 victory over top-seed Magnolia to end the Governors’ Cup on a high note.
And after that match, Vanguardia assured that the Bossing will keep their picks to build a competitive crew, making them a team to look forward to in the draft as to how it would maximize the opportunity to garner young talents.
The Dioceldo Sy-owned franchise has a total of three selections in the first round alone, indeed a luxury for a rebuilding squad that did not pick until the second round in the previous draft back in March of last year.
It owns the ninth and 10th picks, and Vanguardia has his fingers crossed that they will still be able to get players that would fit well with the team.
“It will depend on the draft picks of the other teams. Pero at least, ‘yung no. 1, may control kami,” he said. “Sana bumagsak ‘yung mga pinapanalangin naming bumagsak. Kung bumagsak sa no. 9, hulog ng langit ‘yun.”
Blackwater will also get to pick first in the second round (13th overall), which the former ABL champion coach believes will get them a ‘quality player.’ Vanguardia looks at it as, in his words, a ‘semi first-round selection.’
“Quality player pa rin ‘yan,” he said. “It’s still a deep draft naman … kumbaga kung dati, hanggang second round very deep, ngayon hanggang middle second round na lang ‘yung depth.
“Still, ‘yung first round, very rich in talent.”
The team has a total of five picks, including no. 25. And the result of Sunday’s event will shape the team’s composition entering the new season in June — a total of 11 players are presently with the Bossing.
“We’re very excited for the draft,” Vanguardia expressed.
