Vergara joins Philippine league’s Barako Coffee
Contributed by Red Hoops reader Jonas Terrado in Manila
Singapore Slingers Filipino point guard Al Vergara has made the final roster of the Barako Energy Coffee Masters in time for the upcoming 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference set for this Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum. (Photo © Red Hoops file photo)
After an impressive outing with the Singapore Slingers, Al Vergara is making a return stint to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Vergara, who was the chief playmaker of the Slingers during the recent ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) season, has made the final roster of the Barako Energy Coffee Masters in time for the upcoming 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference set for this Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 5-foot-7 guard averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists as he helped the Slingers gain the league’s second-best record after the regular season with a 10-5 card. Unfortunately, the Slingers were booted out by Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma in a best-of-three semi-final clash.
But his stint with the Singaporean side earned him the attention of the Filipino-based ball club, which was coming off a disappointing 3-15 record in the Philippine Cup but was able to beat powerhouse team Talk N’ Text during the middle portion of the conference.
Vergara is one of four new players on the Barako roster as the team also signed up cagers from the ABL champion Philippine Patriots in Rob Wainwright, rugged forward Jerwin Gaco and guard Christian Coronel.
Vergara and Coronel, who played backup to Patriots starter and ABL Finals MVP Warren Ybanez during the recent season, and holdover Paolo Hubalde are expected to share minutes at the point guard spot.
Coincidentally, the addition of the three new players plus Vergara came after Barako Coffee agreed to a deal that will have Harbour Centre, owned by the Patriots’ Mikee Romero, as the team’s sponsor.
Prior to his stint in the ABL, Vergara had a short stint with the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants (now known as the Derby Ace Llamados) in 2008 before signing with the Slingers in September of the same year.
He was also a member of some of the Harbour Centre teams that won seven consecutive Philippine Basketball League championships from 2006-2009 and previously helped Montana Pawnshop win a PBL title in 2005.
In college, Vergara helped St Francis of Assisi capture several Universities and Colleges Athletic Association (UCAA) and National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) titles in the early part of the last decade before making a name for himself in the commercial ranks.
The Coffee Masters will play the Sta Lucia Realtors to start the new PBA conference this Sunday with American Sammy Monroe as import.
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I agree with Peter and Saudi Boy. But for me, RP Gilas basketball team should minimize overseas training.
Kami dito sa karagatan, ang pilipino ang nananatiling pinakamahusay na mandaragat, malaki man ang bilang ng bansang tsina at indiya, hindi nila kayang tapatan ang kagalingan at pagmamahal sa trabaho ng marinong pilipino. Long live the Filipino “Sea Dog”,
Ang Pilipino ang nanatili at mananatiling numero uno sa trabahong pang karagatan.
Obet, what about local players,like barroca tiu,ababou,slaughter,ballesteros, you mean they are nothing?!
And the team Barako Coffee is still one of the worsed team in the PBA this conference with 1-4 win-loss record so far..
G-Pringle/Lassiter
G-Arrigo/Lutz/Dela cruz
SF-Aguilar/williams/Norwood
PF-Aquino/Chiu
C-Naturalized / Slaughter