By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Coach Pido Jarencio and the whole NorthPort Batang Pier management are excited about what may be a fresh start to their franchise.
After drafting Jamie Malonzo and Troy Rike with the number 2 and number 11 pick, respectively in the 2021 PBA Rookie Draft, the Batang Pier did not think twice and gave deals to both first-round picks.
Malonzo, the high-leaping superstar from the De La Salle Green Archers, signed a rookie maximum contract.
Meanwhile, Rike, one of the country’s top 3×3 players, agreed to a two-year deal to add more depth to the team’s frontcourt.
Coach Jarencio is already looking forward to working with his newly acquired rookies with hopes of making a run in the PBA playoffs with Greg Slaughter boosting the team’s chances of doing it.
Slaughter was acquired from the Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel in exchange for Christian Standhardinger.
With the arrival of the young guns, Malonzo and Rike will try to create one of the deepest and versatile big men combinations with Slaughter that can hopefully impose mismatches against the other teams.
