By Nelson Beltran
San Miguel Beer continued to rebuild its aging lineup, acquiring Joseph Yeo from Sta. Lucia in exchange for Bonbon Custodio five days before the opening of the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen, who settled for third place after losing to the eventual champions Purefoods Giants in the recent Philippine Cup, have bolstered their backcourt rotation with Yeo’s acquisition, which came on the heels of an earlier trade deal involving Alex Cabagnot and Mike Cortez.
Yeo, a former La Salle standout, blossomed into a fine playmaker with Sta. Lucia after a forgettable stint with Coca-Cola in the 2006-07 campaign.
In his second season with Sta. Lucia last year, Yeo effectively played his off-the-bench role, winding up as the team’s second-best scorer behind Kelly Williams with a 13.5-point average.
He also normed 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in a remarkable season, prompting the team management to give him a three-year contract-extension worth the maximum pay allowed in the league.
Meanwhile, Custodio, a product of University of the East, is in his second year in the pro league, also playing the off-the-bench role creditably.
The only rookie in the star-studded, talent-laden Beermen squad last year, Custodio performed well to earn a spot on the All-Rookie selection by the PBA Press Corps. He played for San Miguel’s farm team in the PBL before being elevated to the pro ranks. He was the eighth pick in the 2008 annual draft.
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