DAVAO Occidental signed ex-pro Keith Agovida and eight other players for its upcoming campaign in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Mumbaki Cup.
Agovida has been on the radar of Head Coach Don Dulay for quite a while.
“I was eyeing him since he was with Columbian Dyip [now Terrafima],” said Dulay, also an assistant coach with Rain or Shine, about the 6-foot-2 guard. “When I became head coach of Davao Occidental, I wanted to get him because he was perfect for the MPBL.”
Joining Agovida are free agents 6-foot-3 swingman Robby Celiz, 6-foot-5 big man Chris Lalata, 5-foot-10 combo guard Alwin Alday, 5-foot-9 floor general Irvin Palencia, 6-foot-3 forward Chris Dumapig, 6-foot-2 guard Joe Presbitero, 6-foot-2 shooting guard Gab Dagangon and 6-foot-4 big Dariel Bayla.
“It was a tricky situation this time since we were not able to hold a tryout because of the quarantine,” Dulay said. “But we were surprised that they were available and we were able to get these guys.”
They replaced Jerwin Gaco, Richard Albo, Yvan Ludovice, Kenneth Mocon, Harry Dumagan, Bogs Raymundo, Jeck Desabille, Embons Bonleon and Don Adormeo.
Coming off a championship during the 2019-21 Chooks-to-Go Lakan Season, Dulay admitted that it was hard to let go of the likes of Gaco, Albo, Ludovice and Mocon. But with an aging roster, Dulay and the Tigers management deemed that they need to have a younger and faster lineup for the new season.
“It was a hard decision, especially on my part. We talked about it with management but we needed to change our homegrowns and also get younger,” said Dulay, who steered the Cocolife-backed squad to a 3-1 triumph over San Juan in the Finals last March in Clark.
“We are competing for a back-to-back so we needed to be quicker on the defensive end and help us on the offensive end.”