Iloilo Warriors back in NBC tilt
After a season of hibernation from national limelight, the Toyota Warriors will again suit up the Iloilo caging jersey and is set to slug it out against the Pagadian Explorers this Thursday, March 15, 6 p.m., at the University of San Agustin gym for the 4th National Basketball Conference (NBC).
In a press conference Monday morning at the Emilion JD Roadhouse in Gen. Luna St., team consultant John Trompeta confirmed that the all-native Toyota Iloilo Warriors are "in the right chemistry to redeem the glory" that was theirs. Iloilo, to note, almost made it to the finals of the NBC Season 2006.
Trompeta assured that the Iloilo lineup is "deeper and more experienced." The Warriors this time is muscled by two former PBA players, playmaker Tonyboy Espinosa and 6-foot-5 paintmaster Leo Bat-og. Still with a clean bill for Iloilo are NBC all-star Eldren Senierez, 6-foot-4 franchise player Ruel Balgos, wingman Edu Allado, 6-foot-3 middleman Henry Sencil, and 6-foot-3 blocker Johlner Laborte.
Also in the Hiligaynon-speaking cast are the following former college varsity standouts: do-it-all Elbin Leonida, all-around ball-handler Jhun Bautista, 6-foot-4 center tower Paul Ian Poral, high-flying Ramir Anmuan, long-range marksman John Guanco, trey--specialist Denself Sinaon, boardsman Jhun Cortel, pointman Stanley Tizon, and skipper Adrian Dellaban.
The Robert Uy-bankrolled Toyota Iloilo Warriors is coached by Jerry Jaranilla with Johnny Pineda as assistant coach. Stephen Lacuesta and Mark Fabela are the team's therapist and assistant trainer, respectively.
Iloilo Warriors was formed in 2004 by the Iloilo Basketball League (IBL) with Toyota Iloilo executive Robert Uy as president and prime backer. The ownership was officially transferred to Uy this year naming the team Toyota Iloilo Warriors (also known as Toyota Turbos in local competitions). Aside from their NBC stint, the Ilonggo team is also active in the Negros Basketball Association winning the championship crown in back-to-back fashion (2005 and 2006). It also managed to get into the semifinals of the Mindanao-Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) last year.
The Warriors expect a tight maiden match against the Mayor Sammy Co-owned Pagadian Explorers this Thursday.
Trompeta, also coach of the Ateneo de Iloilo Basketball team, said, "the Explorers are second placers in the NBC 2006 first conference, that's why we are looking forward to our first game this year with high anticipation but with great prudence... we really hope the Ilonggo crowd will be there to support and cheer us up."
Tickets for the Thursday game are available at the USA gym with P50 for the box seats and P20 for the upper bleachers.
"We do wish that more basketball aficionados will buoy the sport up by coming into our home games and by supporting us in any way possible. As of the moment, we are still open for sponsors to beef the squad up. Let us rally for our Ilonggo team and regain our dominance in the woodcourt!"
The NBC's fourth season, to note, has officially kicked off over the weekend at the Quezon Convention in Lucena City. Aside from Pagadian and Iloilo, NBC is also powered by teams such as defending champion Ozamis Cotta; MP Pacman-Gensan of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao; Villa Anita-Quezon, the team that topped the first NBC International Invitational Cup; and Tagaytay-Spring Cooking Oil, last year's runner up and owned by NBC president and international shooter Nathaniel "Tac" Padilla.
Also in the NBC lineup are Forward Taguig, North Cotabato Braves, Valencia Golden Harvest, Bacchus-Harbour Centre Manila, Pangasinan Hundred Islands, Davao Montaña Pawnshop, Cellular Pawnshop Bulacan, among others.
In 2004, the NBC played its first season, under the name National Basketball League (NBL) with 12 teams participating. This was a formation to revive the format used by the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association. For the championship, Tribu Sugbu, a team based in Cebu City, defeated Forward Taguig in a best-of-three showdown for the championship.
In 2005, new teams joined the league that included the Paranaque Jets, who made headlines by defeating the Basketball Association of the Philippines-sponsored RP-Cebuana Lhuillier Team in the NBC Preseason tournament. The Jets, though, failed to make the playoffs as the Ozamiz Cotta won the championship.
For the 2006 season, the tournament was divided into two conferences, similar to the format used by the Philippine Basketball Association and the Philippine Basketball League. Ozamiz Cotta won the first and second conference titles.
(Engr. Herman Lagon)