Nueva Ecija MiGuard

The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (shortened as NERV) are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Palayan, Nueva Ecija. 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 Nueva Ecija Coliseum.

The team began play as an expansion team for the 2019–20 MPBL season, though they would only begin using the ''Rice Vanguards'' moniker later on. The team also plays in the Pilipinas Super League under the name Nueva Ecija Capitals. The team also competed in FilBasket as well as in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.

The Nueva Ecija franchise is the holder of the only regular season sweep in the MPBL, recording 21 wins with no losses during the 2022 MPBL season, where they would go on to win their first MPBL championship. The Rice Vanguards are one of four teams based in Central Luzon.

History

2019–2020: First MPBL season

In May 2019, Nueva Ecija formally joined the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as an expansion team for the league's 2019–20 season. Alvin Grey was the team's first head coach before being replaced by Charles Tiu mid-season. Nueva Ecija finished 11th in the North with a 10–20 record.

2022–present: Championship contention

In the lead-up to the 2022 season, Nueva Ecija took part in the 2021 Invitational. After sweeping Group C, the Rice Vanguards reached the finals against Basilan Jumbo Plastic, but lost due to Philip Manalang's championship-winning buzzer beater in overtime, thus settling for the runner-up spot. The team would later take part in FilBasket's 2022 Summer Championship. Competing as the ''Nueva Ecija Capitals'', they finished the elimination round with a 10–1 record and made the finals against the San Juan Knights as the series went into three games. The Capitals won the final game in overtime to clinch their first ever league championship, making way for a rivalry with the San Juan franchise.

Regular season sweep

With additions such as Hesed Gabo, Will McAloney, and Michael Mabulac, together with their new head coach in Jerson Cabiltes, Nueva Ecija then dominated the 2022 MPBL season with the league's first-ever regular season sweep, winning all 21 games. Mabulac was declared an all-star together with Bobby Balucanag, while Gabo and McAloney were both part of the All-MPBL First Team that season. The Rice Vanguards then swept the first two rounds of the playoffs against Marikina and intraregional rivals Pampanga. A challenge then rose for the team in the North Division finals against the defending division champion San Juan Knights, as they would lose game 1 of the series. The Rice Vanguards fought back and won game 2 in overtime before ultimately defeating the Knights in game 3. In the 2022 finals, Nueva Ecija met the Marcelino-led Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines. The Rice Vanguards won the first two games at home but lost game 3 as the visiting team. The team then went on to win game 4 to bring Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon its first-ever MPBL championship. The Finals MVP was awarded to Byron Villarias.

Despite Gabo moving to the Philippine Basketball Association, signing with the NLEX Road Warriors during the off-season, Nueva Ecija kept most of its key players for the 2023 season. The team continued to win in the regular season, starting with an 11–0 record, but would suffer its first regular season loss since 2020 against the Viernes-led Sarangani Marlins. Nueva Ecija still proved to be contenders in 2023, finishing 2nd with a 23–5 record. After eliminating Pasay in the first round, the Rice Vanguards once again met with the San Juan Knights. This time around, San Juan ended up sweeping the rematch, ending Nueva Ecija's repeat hopes.

During the 2023–24 MPBL off-season, the team took part in the Pilipinas Super League as part of its 2023–24 President's Cup, where they once again competed under the ''Capitals'' moniker. During which, Jerson Cabiltes parted ways with the franchise as he would later become the head coach of expansion side Pangasinan Heatwaves. Don Dulay, who won an MPBL title with the Davao Occidental Tigers, took on the head coaching job for the rest of the President's Cup and for the 2024 MPBL season.

Rivalries

San Juan Knights

Both Nueva Ecija and the San Juan Knights have become constant contenders across the multiple leagues they have taken part in. It began in FilBasket when both teams met in the finals of the 2022 Summer Championship and later fought for North Division contention in the MPBL, with both teams meeting in the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. Across all leagues, both teams have met each other twelve times.

Home venues

The Nueva Ecija franchise has always played their home games at Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan. The only season in which the team did not play at home was during their inaugural season.

Current roster

Head coaches

Notable players

Individual award winners

MPBL finals Most Valuable Player
* Byron Villarias – 2022

All-MPBL First Team
* Will McAloney – 2022, 2023
* Hesed Gabo – 2022

MPBL All-Star Day

All-Star selections
* Jai Reyes – 2020
* Bobby Balucanag – 2022
* Michael Mabulac – 2022
* Will McAloney – 2023, 2024
* Roi Sumang – 2023
* Robby Celiz – 2024

All-Star Game head coaches
* Jerson Cabiltes – 2022

PBA players

Ex-PBA players

* Jimbo Aquino
* Anthony Bringas
* JR Cawaling
* Robby Celiz
* Hesed Gabo
* Jerwin Gaco
* Michael Juico
* Michael Mabulac
* Will McAloney
* Renz Palma

* Pamboy Raymundo
* Jai Reyes
* Billy Robles
* Roi Sumang
* Byron Villarias
* John Wilson

Drafted to PBA
* Kemark Cariño – 13th overall, season 48

Season-by-season records

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

Pilipinas Super League

References

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{{MPBL
{{Central Luzon Sports
{{Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards 2022 MPBL Mumbaki Cup Champions

MPBL teams
Pilipinas Super League teams
2019 establishments in the Philippines
Basketball teams established in 2019
Sports in Nueva Ecija