By Lily O. Ramos
MANILA (PNA)– Global Port Batang Pier of the PBA definitely wants to achieve a championship crown in Asia’s first ‘pay for-play’ league within a year or two after leaving the Asian Basketball League (ABL) where it was the inaugural champion in 2010.
Why not, the team that is now being coached by a la Pat Riley, Junel Baculi is No. 5 in the ongoing PBA Governors Cup was champion several times at the defunct PBL but the pathway in the PBA is brutal and even bloody towards capturing a title.
On Wednesday’s launching ceremony of the new North Port Passenger Terminal Complex at Pier 4 in Tondo, chairman of the Manila North Harbor Port, Inc. and co-owner businessman-sportsman Michael L. Romero said that the ballclub is definitely searching for players who can upgrade the team’s performance and ranking.
”We’re talking about it, but we have to wait for the PBA rookie draft next month to fish out the best we could catch and latch on. We must see the guys coming out,” the 42-year old taipan during a lightning interview prior to his delivering his speech before a big crown gathered at the spanking new port complex that’s at par with the best in the world.
”We finished fifth before bowing out in the ongoing PBA conference. Not a bad record for a starter but we have so much to improve on if we want to be really competitive in the coming months,” he said.
Romero brought along his team to grace the event and the boys even did some jigs through the proddings of guest entertainer Giselle Sanchez who asked them to dance or answer some jokes bordering on green areas.
Coach Baculi said he is looking at the most probable top three rookie candidates, Greg Slaughter of Ateneo, Raymond Almazan of Letran and Ian Sangalang of San Sebastian College who find their comfort zone at the slot .
“Anyway, we might not reach them because we are No. 7 in declaring our choice They would have been taken already, leaving us to look somewhere else,” he said.
Baculi said he is not so much in need of a center but shooting and defensive guards and forwards as well. “We will scrutinize who will suit us the best when we see the rookies. As for Bobby Ray Parks, I am not privy to his plans but who would not want to sign up a guy like him?”
For sure, Romero and his coaching staff will be meeting soon to assess their performance and list down the type of players they need most for a title shot next year.