By Jerome Lagunzad
After a long wait, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League finally comes off the wraps tonight at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, hoping to give displaced pro players, amateur cagers and homegrown talents another venue to showcase their skills.
Billed as the Anta Rajah Cup, the league’s inaugural conference features 10 teams from Metro Manila – Parañaque, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, Navotas and Quezon City – and key cities and provinces in Luzon – Bulacan, Bataan, Batangas City and Imus, Cavite—which will vie for supremacy in a home-and-away format patterned after the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association.
“We won’t be competing against other leagues but this is our own little way of helping promote the sport that’s very close to Filipinos’ hearts,” said Senator and eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, the league’s prime mover.
“This league will be a great help to young players, including those in the provinces, aiming to make it to the pro ranks. Aside from discovering diamonds in the rough, we are also out to help former pros who want to prove they still have enough gas left in the tank.”
A colorful opening rites, featuring comely muses of all competing teams, will be held at 7 p.m. before the Parañaque Patriots, handled by legendary tactician Aric del Rosario, and the Caloocan Supremos, under coach John Kallos, get the ball rolling in the lone opening day matchup set at 8 p.m.
To spice up the opener, league organizers will be giving away a brand new car and 10 motorbikes for lucky fans who will be chosen through a raffle.
All the games will be shown live on ABS-CBN Sports+Action from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Del Rosario, 76, will pin his hopes mainly on former Perpetual Help standouts Gab Dagangon, Jhong Baloria, Harold Arboleda and Jett Vidal.
Out to scuttle the Patriots’ bid are the Supremos, who will bring in former pro Jopher Custodio, former Adamson standout Jan Colina, ex-San Beda stalwart Mar Villahermosa and National University’s Cedrick Labing-isa.
“The players’ pride will be palpable since they will have that chance of playing infront of their hometown fans. We believe that it will only make each game more exciting,” said MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.
