They still have a chance to show their skills in Day 2

RJ Abarrientos and Sedrick Barefield looks to make it up in Day 2 of the PBA draft combine!
PHOTO: JEROME ASCANO/EASL

A total of 62 out of the 70 applicants showed up in the opening day of PBA Draft Combine at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Possible first round picks Sedrick Barefield, RJ Abarrientos, Dave Ildefonso, Evan Nelle, and Ben Philips failed to attend the two-day event along with Jared Brown, Franz Diaz, and Victor Berjay.

Diaz has officially withdrawn his application, according to the league.

Abarrientos and Ildefonso failed to show up after playing in a tune-up game for Strong Group Athletics against Magnolia, which the Jones Cup-bound ballclub won at the West Greenhills basketball court.

Their Strong Group teammate Caelan Tiongson showed up late in the afternoon and had his biometrics taken, though he no longer saw action in the 5-on-5 games.

De La Salle teammates Nelle and Philips meanwhile, are both still in the US.

Philips is attending to some business matters, while Nelle held a week-long training in Sacramento under former PBA MVP and now Sacramento Kings deputy coach Jimmy Alapag.

Barefield is on his way to the country from the US, and will try to show up on Thursday on the final day of the Combine.