Macmac Tallo (sixth from left) is joined by some members of the TNT KaTropa team after being selected 10th in the first round yesterday at Robinsons Place Manila. With him is fellow Cebuano RR Pogoy (fourth from left).
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Former SWU star Macmac Tallo picked 10th overall by TNT in 2017 PBA Draft
Every single standout who came from the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) that applied for the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft got their name called, but none was more surprised than two-time league MVP Macmac Tallo, whom the TNT KaTropa selected 10th in the first round yesterday at the Robinsons Place Manila.
Tallo, the dynamic 6-foot guard who led the Southwestern University-Phinma Cobras to two Cesafi titles before suiting up for Racal Motors in the PBA D-League earlier this year, was near tears when this writer spoke to him, a few moments after he got selected.
“I’m almost going to cry,” said Tallo, the nervousness mixed with joy palpable in his voice.
“I really believed I was going to get picked in the second or third round. But to get picked in the first round? I didn’t see that coming,” Tallo added.
Finally composing himself, Tallo explained that the reason why he was so emotional was because the day’s development was a dream come true for him.
From his days leading the Cebu Institute of Technology-University to the Cesafi juniors title, to his much-ballyhooed transfers from Ateneo to La Salle and then back to Cebu, and back to Manila for the D-League, he said he never lost sight of his dream to one day play in the PBA.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I never stopped dreaming of making it to the PBA,” Tallo shared.
While getting picked was the culmination of a daring pursuit of his dream, getting picked in the second round was the cherry on top as he believed he just wasn’t getting selected during that stretch.
“I didn’t do so well during the combine and nobody paid any attention to me there. I was just one of the many. All of them were talking about (Kiefer) Ravena and (Jeron) Teng and all those famous players,” added Tallo.
Tallo is set to join a Talk N Text guard rotation led by veteran Jayson Castro and fellow Cebuano and recently-awarded Rookie of the Year, Roger Pogoy. Tallo vowed to just learn as much as he can the moment he joins the squad.
Upon learning of Tallo’s selection, Pogoy expressed his excitement with having the spunky Cebuano on his team.
“I’m very happy and excited because we’re both from Cebu. I know him very well,” said the Talisay City product.
Former Cebu Eastern College stud Raymar Jose got picked third in the first round by Blackwater Elite while ex-University of Southern Philippines Foundation center Jomari Sollano got picked seventh in the second round by Rain or Shine. Picked 10th in the same round by Talk N Text was former SWU-Phinma guard Monbert Arong.
Former University of the Visayas wingman Elmer Mykiel Cabahug was selected by Barangay Ginebra in the third round while another SWU-Phinma product, Joseph Nalos, was tapped in the fourth round by San Miguel.
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