By Ronnie Nathanielsz

THREE standouts from the collegiate ranks decided not to sign the contracts offered them by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala to join the national pool under Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

Ogie Menor of National Collegiate Athletic Association champion San Beda College, Rico Maierhofer of La Salle and Marcy Arellano of University of the East told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that they decided not to accept the SBP contracts and instead enter the PBA Annual Draft in August.

?I really want to enter the PBA because if I don?t enter now, I will lose that opportunity,? said Menor, who added that his brother was angry over the unfair contract originally offered the players.

Menor anchored San Beda College to victory in the last NCAA Championships where he scored 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds in an excellent all-round performance in the deciding Game 3 against the Jose Rizal Heavy Bombers. This earned him recognition as the finals? Most Valuable Player.

Maierhofer characterized joining the national pool under Toroman as ?maybe the wrong move,? adding that he had decided to enter the PBA.

Playing in his final season in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, Maierhofer averaged 12.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and almost 2 shot blocks a game.

Arellano claimed that he was influenced by his father Joel Arellano, a big basketball fan.

?I want to play with the best,? said the 22-year-old Arellano, who was worried that if he joined the national pool when the time came for him to enter the pro league, he may be left behind as teams are likely to draft younger players.

Arellano was also concerned about exposure, saying that in the PBA, chances are he will get much bigger and better exposure considering the popularity of the league and the number of games teams play.