GLOBALPORT added depth and experience to its already formidable backcourt by formally signing unrestricted free agent Josh Urbiztondo in time for the Batang Pier’s PBA Philippine Cup game against Barangay Ginebra on Saturday.
SPIN.ph learned Urbiztondo was officially inserted in the team’s regular roster 24 hours before the 6:45 p.m. encounter at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as per league rules.
The Batang Pier relegated Karl Dehesa to the reserve/injury list since adding Urbiztondo meant having a sixth Fil-Am player to their roster. Only five Fil-Ams are allowed on the active roster per team.
Aside from Urbiztondo, other Fil-Ams in Globalport’s lineup are Stanley Pringle, Mike Cortez, Mick Pennisi, and Anthony Semerad.
[See Urbiztondo sighted at GlobalPort, but rule on Fil-foreigns appear to hinder deal]
The 33-year-old Urbiztondo, from San Francisco, California, comes in as a solid back-up to the Batang Pier’s prolific backcourt of Terrence Romeo, Pringle, and Cortez.
The team is coming off a 95-84 loss to Alaska in its last outing after winning their first two games of the all-Filipino conference.
Urbiztondo wasn’t re-signed to a new contract by Phoenix prior to the start of the new season.
He was left out in the 2009 Rookie Draft and made it to the league as a free agent after being signed up by Sta. Lucia in 2010. Urbiztondo also had stints with Air21, B-Meg (Star), Barako Bull, Barangay Ginebra, and Phoenix. He won a championship with B-Meg during the 2012 Commissioner’s Cup.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
