THE door is now open for both local and Filipino-foreign players interested to join the 2008 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft.

Application is now available at the PBA headquarters at 186 E. Rodriguez Avenue, Libis, Quezon City. Under the league’s admission policies, Fil-foreign applicants are also required to submit essential documents that will attest to their blood lineage.

The documentary requirements are a certificate of recognition from the Bureau of Immigration, an affirmation from the Department of Justice, an authenticated birth certificate from the National Statistics Office, if applicant is born in the Philippines (or equivalent official agency in country of birth other than the Philippines), an authenticated birth certificate of Filipino parent or other valid documents acceptable to the appropriate agency,  a marriage certificate of parents (or in the absence thereof due to circumstances beyond applicants control, legal recognition by applicant’s Filipino father or other proof evidencing filiation such as will, record of birth or DNA test results), duly notarized and/or authenticated naturalization papers of Filipino parents and duly notarized affidavits of at least three persons residing in the Philippines attesting to the claim of citizenship of applicant.

Prospective Fil-foreign applicants have until July 8 to submit the requirements. Three days later, the list will be submitted to the 10 team members, which will be given one month to verify and contest (if needed) the documents of Fil-foreign applicants.

The contestability period on the legitimacy of the Fil-foreign applicants will run from July 12 to August 11.

“The process of applying for the draft has been properly scheduled to make it easier for prospective rookie players as well as for the teams themselves. At the same time, we want everything to go smoothly when the league holds its annual Rookie Draft on August 31,” said PBA commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios.
Local players have until August 12 to tender their respective application and requirements, while the final day of deciding the contestability of Fil-foreign applicants is on August 13.

The official list of candidates for the annual draft will be issued on August 15.

To provide the teams an insight of the type of player they intend to select in the draft, the official candidates will be required to take part in the three-day expanded Rookie Camp from August 21 to 23 to showcase their skills and ability.

Among the possible rookie prospects for this year are highly touted Fil-Americans Gabe Norwood and Solomon Mercado, reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player Jervy Cruz, guard TY Tang, the Ateneo duo of Ford Arao and Chris Tiu, University of the East big man Mark Borboran and Harbour Centre’s Beau Belga.

Last year, Welcoat Paints used the No. 1 overall selection on Toyota Otis center Joe Devance.

Playing waiting game again

LOS ANGELES—Everything finally bubbles and boils over Monday night in a precursor to the Western Conference finals.

‘Mano-a-mano’ will be remembered for long time

BOSTON—The free throw clanged hard off the front rim and headed for the heavens. With 7.9 seconds remaining and the Cleveland Cavaliers clinging to a final gasp of playoff hope, Paul Pierce wasn’t going to gag away this precious moment, was he?

Manny Lopez couldn’t do anything with the present. So he had to dig deep into his bag for the future.

The president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) said he is satisfied with the new names that emerged from the national open earlier this month.

YOUNG super-flyweight prospect AJ “Bazooka” Banal will get his first crack at a world title when he faces Rafael Concepcion of Panama for the World Boxing Association (WBA) super-flyweight crown.

Angelo Que finished second behind Singaporean Lam Chih-bing in the first leg of the Mercedes-Benz Tour—the Mercedes-Benz Masters Indonesia—played at the Emeralda Golf and Country Club in Jakarta.

THE door is now open for both local and Filipino-foreign players interested to join the 2008 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft.

THE Philippine Football Federation (PFF) plans to send homegrown players to the birthplace of soccer to prepare for the country’s next big tournament.

Indelible Ink made a big step forward by achieving another milestone in her career as she bagged the first leg of the Triple Crown Championship Series on Sunday at the jam-packed San Lazaro Leisure Park.