TWO rookies and a returning big man are all set to see action in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup quarterfinals, which kicks off on Christmas Day at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
L-Jay Gonzales, Mark Denver Omega, and Luis Villegas will all be suiting up for their respective squads in the playoffs after being activated on the deadline of submission for all teams’ playoff rosters.
Both Gonzales and Omega are going to see action right away in Thursday’s double-header pitting defending champion San Miguel against NLEX in the curtain-raiser and Converge facing Barangay Ginebra in the main outing.
Gonzales, fresh off a two-season stint with MPBL contender Quezon Province, is making his debut with the Road Warriors, who selected him No. 5 overall during the Season 50 Draft. He’s been activated by the team in lieu of guard Baser Amer.
Omega, a second round pick in the same draft acquired by the FiberXers in a trade with the Elasto Painters, is expected to add size and length to the Converge frontcourt that already has the likes of Justin Arana, Justine Baltazar, Larry Muyang, Vic Manuel, and Jhaymo Eguilos.
Ronan Santos has been relegated to the injury/reserved list to make way for the 6-foot-5 product of Letran.
Both Gonzales and Omega were signed to respective contracts by NLEX and Converge to make their PBA debuts possible on Christmas Day.
At long last, Luis
And Villegas?
After more than a year, the 6-foot-7 center will make his comeback with Rain or Shine following his full recovery from a second knee surgery.
The Elasto Painters face Meralco on Saturday also at the Big Dome.
Picked No. 3 overall by the franchise in the Season 48 Draft, Villegas missed his entire rookie season after dealing with an ACL injury, and then just played eight games the season after he underwent knee reconstructive surgery.
His return augurs well for an RoS team that recently lost Villegas’ frontcourt tandem Keith Datu to a ruptured right patellar tendon.
Both Rain or Shine and Converge enjoy twice-to-beat advantages in the playoffs for finishing in the Top 4 at the end of the eliminations. The second seed Elasto Painters will be up against No. 7 Meralco, while the fourth-seeded FiberXers face No. 5 Ginebra.
No. 8 NLEX will take on top seed and reigning titlist San Miguel.
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