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2023 MPBL Season
The 2023 MPBL season was the fifth season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and the second as a professional league. The regular season began on March 11, 2023 with the opening ceremonies at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena. The 2023 MPBL All-Star Game was held at Bataan People's Center in Balanga, Bataan on September 16. The league took two breaks during the regular season, during Holy Week and during the Philippines' co-hosting of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The playoffs then began on October 6 and ended on December 2 when the Pampanga Giant Lanterns defeated the Bacoor City Strikers in three games in the 2023 MPBL finals. This season featured 29 teams, which included two expansion teams: the Negros Muscovados and the Quezon Huskers. OKBet continued to be the league's title sponsor throughout the regular season. Teams Expansion This season featured two new expansion teams. After competing in the 2021 Invitational, the Negros Muscov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) is a men's regional professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 30 teams. Founded in 2017 by eight-division boxing world champion and then-Senator Manny Pacquiao, the MPBL is not intended to be a competitor to the top-flight Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), but rather to provide a gateway for local, homegrown talents to showcase their skills. The league uses a home-and-away format, similar to the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association. The MPBL started an amateur league before being granted professional status by the Games and Amusements Board. Due to Pacquiao's role in the league, it has also been referred to as Manny Pacquiao's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. The MPBL is the first in a series of leagues which bear the ''Maharlika Pilipinas'' name. It is followed by the Junior MPBL and Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) in 2023, and the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bataan
Bataan (, , , ; ) , officially the Province of Bataan, is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entire Bataan Peninsula on Luzon, Bataan is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north. The peninsula faces the South China Sea to the west and Subic Bay to the north-west, and encloses Manila Bay to the east. The Battle of Bataan is known in history as one of the last stands of American and Filipino soldiers before they were overwhelmed by the Japanese forces in World War II. The Bataan Death March was named after the province, where the infamous march started. History Aeta peoples The first inhabitants of the Bataan peninsula are the Ayta Magbeken people. The next group of inhabitants were Kapampangans, who settled on eastern Bataan. Tagalog migration Later on, Tagalogs from southern Luzon, most specifically Cavite, migrated to par ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rizal Golden Coolers
The Rizal Golden Coolers (also known as the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers for sponsorship reasons) are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of Rizal (province), Rizal. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division (MPBL), South Division. The team splits its home games between two venues, both named "Ynares Center": Ynares Center, Ynares Center Antipolo and Ynares Center Montalban. The Rizal franchise began play during the 2018–19 MPBL season, 2018–19 season as the Rizal Crusaders. Team ownership said that the name was chosen as the province of Rizal is known for "crusades, mountaineering, and other stuff". Originally, the team was going to be called the Rizal Ankle Breakers, but was changed due to criticism that the name didn't have any relation to the province of Rizal. The Golden Coolers are one of five teams based in Calabarzon. History Rizal struggled during its first two se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pasay Voyagers
The Pasay Voyagers are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Pasay. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. The team plays its home games at Cuneta Astrodome. The team began play in the 2018–19 MPBL season. The team has also played in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3. The Voyagers are one of three teams based in the Southern Manila District of Metro Manila, alongside the Muntinlupa Cagers and Parañaque Patriots. History As part of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's national expansion, the league awarded Pasay with an expansion team for the 2018–19 season. In their inaugural season, despite having eventual all-star Jaypee Belencion, the Voyagers only managed to win eight out of 25 games, tied with Mandaluyong. The team ranked 12th in the North Division. In the 2019–20 season, Pasay acquired Dhon Reverente, who would lead the Voyagers to a 17–13 record and an 8th-place finish, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parañaque Patriots
The Parañaque Patriots are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Parañaque. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. The team plays its home games at the gymnasium of Olivarez College. The team is one of the MPBL's charter teams during the league's 2018 season. The team is currently owned by the City Government of Parañaque and its vice mayor Joan Villafuerte. Despite a successful inaugural season where the Patriots reached the semifinals as the seventh seed, the Parañaque-based franchise didn't make the playoffs in the next four seasons from 2019 to 2023 (the team did not play in 2022), which is tied with the Biñan Tatak Gel and Mindoro Tamaraws for the longest playoff drought in the MPBL including non-playing seasons. The Patriots are one of three teams based in the Southern Manila District of Metro Manila, alongside the Muntinlupa Cagers and Pasay Voyagers. History The Patriots we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iloilo United Royals
The Iloilo United Royals were a Filipino professional basketball team based in Passi, Iloilo. The team last competed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). The team most recently played its home games at Passi City Arena. The team joined the league in the 2019–20 season and last took part in the 2024 season. History JJ Javelosa, who would later own the team, and basketball coach Nash Racela conceived of an idea for an Iloilo team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) while playing golf. Racela brought in his co-coach Eric Gonzales to the nascent team. Javelosa, would have tapped his son Jay, who was then playing college basketball for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, while Racela would have recruited from his varsity FEU Tamaraws team. MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao approved of the plan, but was almost shelved when a sponsor backed out. The elder Javelosa eventually found new sponsors, and named the team the Iloilo United Royals. In the Royals' inaugural ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bulacan Kuyas
The Bulacan Kuyas are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Baliwag, Bulacan. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. The team most recently played its home games at Baliwag Star Arena. The Kuyas were founded as one of the MPBL's charter teams in its inaugural season and are currently one of four teams based in Central Luzon. The team took a leave of absence from the league in 2022 before returning the following season. They have also taken part in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3. History Founding The Bulacan Kuyas are among the ten charter teams featured in the inaugural season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. They were also the champions of the pre-season tournament the league held prior to the season. Throughout the 2018 season, the team played their home games at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos. The team inked a partnership with the Ligo Sardines for the 2018 sea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calabarzon
Calabarzon (officially stylized in all caps; ; ), sometimes referred to as Southern Tagalog () and designated as Region IVA, is an administrative region in the Philippines. It is situated southeast of Metro Manila and is bordered by Manila Bay and the South China Sea to the west, Lamon Bay and the Bicol Region to the east, Tayabas Bay and the Sibuyan Sea to the south, and Central Luzon to the north. Comprising five provinces—Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (hence the acronym)—and one highly urbanized city, Lucena, it is the most populous region in the Philippines, according to the 2020 census (PSA), with over 16.1 million inhabitants. It is also the country's second most densely populated region, after the National Capital Region. Calamba in Laguna serves as the regional center, while Antipolo in Rizal is the most populous city in the region. Before its creation as a separate region, Calabarzon, along with the Mimaropa region, the province of Aurora, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2021 MPBL Invitational
The 2021 MPBL Invitational was the preseason tournament for the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2022 season and the first edition of what would become the MPBL Preseason Invitational. The tournament began on December 11, 2021 and ended on December 23, 2021 when the Basilan Jumbo Plastic beat the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in overtime, 83–80. Philip Manalang, who hit the championship-winning buzzer beater for Basilan, was adjudged as the tournament Finals MVP. All games were played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay at 50% capacity, making it the first pro sports event in the Philippines to allow live spectators since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was contested by 22 teams, which is currently the most for a Preseason Invitational. Chooks-to-Go continued to be the league's title sponsor after taking over the league's basketball operations in October 2021 while TM became the league's presenting sponsor, hence the tournament is officially know ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quezon Huskers
The Quezon Huskers are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Lucena, a highly urbanized city in the province of Quezon. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. The team splits its home games between Quezon Convention Center and Lucena Convention Center. The team's first incarnation was the Quezon Coco Huskers of the United Regional Basketball League (URBL). The team ran from 2004 until 2005. The Huskers were then revived as an expansion team for the MPBL's 2023 season alongside the Negros Muscovados. The team also competes Pilipinas Super League (PSL) under the name Quezon Titans. Owned by the Provincial Government of Quezon, the Huskers also have a volleyball counterpart in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association in the Quezon Tangerines. The Huskers are one of five teams based in the Calabarzon region. The Quezon franchise won one championship, during the PSL's President's Cup in 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Negros Muscovados
The Negros Muscovados were a Filipino professional basketball team based in Bacolod, a highly urbanized city in the province of Negros Occidental. The team last competed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). The team most recently played its home games at La Salle Coliseum, a venue they used to share with the Bacolod City of Smiles, their Negros Island Region rivals. The team was established in 2021 and began competing full-time starting with the 2023 MPBL season alongside the Quezon Huskers. The team last competed in the 2024 MPBL season. History Entering the league The Negros island was first introduced to the MPBL in the 2019–20 season, when the city of Bacolod was awarded one of six expansion teams that season. On February 8, 2021, the Negros Muscovados formally entered the league, becoming the second team to represent the island and the third team from Western Visayas. The team was initially going to make their debut in the 2021 MPBL season before it got ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2023 MPBL Finals
The 2023 MPBL finals was the championship series of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's (MPBL) 2023 season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. In the best-of-five playoff, the North Division champion Pampanga Giant Lanterns faced the South Division champion Bacoor City Strikers, with both teams having not won an MPBL title nor appeared in the MPBL finals before, this series would determine which team becomes the league's fifth different champions. The series began on November 25, 2023 and ended on December 2, 2023. In three games, the Pampanga Giant Lanterns completed the first finals sweep in MPBL history, giving them their first MPBL championship and second league championship overall. Justine Baltazar was named Finals MVP of the series, becoming not only the first player in league history to be a recipient of both season MVP and Finals MVP, but also the first to win both awards in the same season. This was the first time since the league's national ex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
