MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings are reloading for PBA Season 50 with fresh firepower, as head coach Tim Cone hailed rookies Sonny Estil and Mario Barasi Jr. as vital pieces in their quest to stay on top of the league.
Estil, the high-flying MVP of the Draft Combine, was tapped 11th overall to help fill the void left by Jamie Malonzo’s departure to Japan’s B.League. The 6-foot-3 Letran Knights standout is expected to inject both energy and versatility to Ginebra’s wing rotation.
“We feel Sonny has a high upside, one of the highest in the draft because of his athleticism and size for his position,” Cone said in an interview with Panay News.
Cone also went big with the 13th pick, nabbing 6-foot-7 Barasi to beef up the frontline anchored by Japeth Aguilar and Jeth Troy Rosario.
“We need to keep stockpiling bigs, and at 13, we had our choice (except for Geo Chiu) of the bigs on the draft board and chose Mario,” Cone said. “We like his ability to roll off pick and rolls and seal around the basket.”
If Barasi cracks the roster, he will join a frontcourt crew that also includes Norbert Torres, Benedict Adamos, and Raymond Aguilar.
The Kings didn’t stop there. They also brought in John Abis of the University of Perpetual Help, a recommendation pushed by assistant coach Olsen Racela and Ginebra ace Earl Scottie Thompson.
“John Abis is a Perpetual guy well-liked by Coach Olsen and Scottie, and they think he can be a good fit. We’ll give him a good look in practice and see if he can stick,” Cone added.
With Estil’s explosiveness, Barasi’s size, and Abis’ potential, Ginebra is arming itself with depth and youthful energy as it sets its sights on making a statement in the league’s golden anniversary season./PN
