IS history bound to repeat for Tanduay?
The Rhum Masters stand to lose again a few of the players they selected in the recent PBA D-League draft if the team fails to sign two of their picks in the next few days.
Sources said the team Tanduay is still unable to sign Jom Sollano and Monbert Arong to contracts as they are still in Cebu for the holidays despite attempts to contact them.
Sollano, who plays for Letran in the NCAA, was selected second overall in Tuesday’s draft, while Arong, who has finished his stint with Far Eastern University, was picked in the second round.
The clock is ticking, however, for Tanduay as under league rules, teams have five working days from the time of the draft (in this case, December 27) to sign up their draft picks. Failure to do so automatically makes the player a free agent.
According to sources, Tanduay also followed the advice of the league to send the offer sheet through mail via the known address of the players in its bid to claim their rights.
Tanduay coach Lawrence Chongson could not be reached for comment on the matter as of posting time.
Incidentally, Tanduay faced a similar situation two years ago involving Ateneo’s Chris Newsome.
The Rhum Masters picked Newsome in the first round of the 2014 draft, but was left unsigned after the five-day window had lapsed.
Newsome later signed with Hapee before being drafted by Meralco in the PBA.