By JONAS TERRADO
Matt Nieto signed a three-year contract with NLEX, making him the fourth player from the special round of the 2019 draft to formally join their PBA team.
Nieto was accompanied by his parents Jet and Girlie when he inked on the dotted line in the presence of Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao, team governor Rod Franco and team official Ronald Dulatre on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
The former Ateneo guard joins twin brother Mike Nieto, Rey Suerte and Allyn Bulanadi in the list of players from the 2019 Gilas round to take their talents to the pro league after the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas granted their release from the national team pool.
Mike Nieto agreed on a two-year contract with Rain or Shine, Suerte also got a similar deal with Blackwater while Bulanadi came to terms with Alaska.
Only Isaac Go, the top overall pick in the special round by Terrafirma, has yet to sign from the group of Gilas draftees.
NLEX is banking on Nieto to make an impact at the backcourt position, given the way he manned the point for Ateneo during its run to three straight UAAP titles from 2017 to 2019.
The Road Warriors have been looking for a guard who can fill the void left by Kiefer Ravena, who is in Japan with the B.League’s Shiga Lakestars.
Nieto played for Gilas in the first and second windows of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in 2020 but a hand injury forced him to miss last year’s third window of the said tournament and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
He did appear for Gilas in the King Abdullah Cup in Jordan shortly after the two FIBA events which saw the Philippines place fourth.
