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All 7 FEU Tamaraws selected in PBA Rookie Draft

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/sports/10/31/belo-103116.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Mac Belo poses for a photo after being picked by Blackwater. <em>Richard Esguerra, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines – The 2016 PBA Rookie Draft proved to be a showcase for the Far Eastern University (FEU) basketball program as seven Tamaraws were selected by PBA teams.</p><p>Five FEU players were part of the Gilas Cadets and thus were assured of being selected, with Mac Belo going to Blackwater, Carl Bryan Cruz going to Alaska, Russel Escoto going to Mahindra, Mike Tolomia going to Rain or Shine, and Roger Pogoy going to TNT KaTropa.</p><p>Two other FEU players – Alfrancis Tamsi and Achie Iñigo – also declared for the draft and were selected in the &quot;regular&quot; draft.</p><p>GlobalPort took Tamsi, a defensive minded guard, in the second round of the regular draft, while Iñigo was the last Tamaraw off the board as Phoenix took him with the last pick of the second round of the regular draft as well.</p><ul class="op-related-articles" title="Read">	<li><strong>READ: </strong> <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2016/10/31/blackwater-hopes-turn-elite-getting-two-1-picks-17320">Blackwater hopes to finally turn elite after getting two no. 1 picks</a></li></ul><p>&quot;They all deserve it,&quot; FEU coach Nash Racela said of his players&#x27; selection.</p><p>Ahead of the Draft, Racela paid tribute to his players on social media via an Instagram post which read: &quot;Whatever jersey you wear next, you will always be a Tamaraw. Always be brave as you continue to charge.&quot;</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:46.0185185185% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMLY4aHByWG/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A photo posted by @scwtnash</a> on <time dateTime="2016-10-30T07:02:02+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Oct 30, 2016 at 12:02am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Belo, widely considered as the best talent in the Draft, had vouched for his less heralded teammates ahead of the draft. &quot;Magagaling na players ang mga &#x27;yun,&quot; he had said.</p><p>&quot;Si Alfrancis Tamsi is a good defender. Noong nasa FEU kami at sa Phoenix, lahat ng mga star player ng mga nakakalaban namin, siya &#x27;yung pinapakuha namin sa guard position,&quot; Belo explained. &quot;Si Achie naman is a court general, magaling s&#x27;yang mag-facilitate ng mga kasama niya. Grabe ang passing niya.&quot;</p><p>Iñigo, the last FEU player taken, could not hide his delight that he and his former teammates had all made it to the PBA.</p><p>&quot;Sobrang saya ko rin. Ako na &#x27;yung last na FEU na na-draft eh,&quot; he said. &quot;Sabi ko, basta ma-draft kami, sobrang saya ko talaga.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Siyempre, ibang experience &#x27;yun na lahat kaming grumaduate galing college, nakapag-PBA,&quot; he added. &quot;Sobrang blessed.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Masayang –masaya ako,&quot; said Tolomia. &quot;Noong una pa lang, sinasabi ko na, na proud ako sa produkto ng FEU.&quot;</p><p>Aside from FEU, National University also got its turn in the spotlight during the draft as five former Bulldogs were selected. Leading the way was Gelo Alolino, who was taken by Phoenix with the second pick of the regular draft.</p><p>Also getting picked were Reden Celda, Jeoffrey Javillonar, Tristan Perez, and Pao Javelona.</p><p>(For more sports coverage, visit the <strong><a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a></strong>)</p>

<p>The 2016 PBA Rookie Draft proved to be a showcase for the Far Eastern University basketball program as seven Tamaraws were selected by PBA teams.</p>

The 2016 PBA Rookie Draft proved to be a showcase for the Far Eastern University basketball program as seven Tamaraws were selected by PBA teams.

All 7 FEU Tamaraws selected in PBA Rookie Draft

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All 7 FEU Tamaraws selected in PBA Rookie Draft

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 31, 2016 12:50 PM PHT

Read More:

PBA

PBA Rookie Draft

UAAP

FEU Tamaraws

NU Bulldogs

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