S+A to showcase Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League opener

MPBL kicks off today

The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League is set to commence its inaugural season later today, January 25, at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The festivities will start with the Opening Ceremonies at 7pm, followed by the lone matchup of the Paranaque Patriots against the Caloocan Supremos. Both events will be shown LIVE on S+A and S+A HD. Subsequent games will be aired on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays between 7-11pm on said channels.

The Patriots are led by former Perpetual stalwarts Jett Vidal and Juneric Baloria, while the Supremos have the combination of Mar Villahermosa and Jan Colina.

Action resumes this Saturday with the Paul Varilla and Mark Olayon-led Batangas City Athletics against the Valenzuela Classic at 7pm, followed by the Ron Dennison and Joseph Gabayni-led Navotas Clutch against the Chito Jaime and Al Vergara-led Muntinlupa Cagers at 9pm.

The MPBL was organized by Senator Manny Pacquiao with the aim of providing another venue for basketball players to showcase their skills and continue their pursuit of their dreams. It also dovetails with the objective of discovering new talents at the grassroots level.

According the league's head of production and marketing Arnold Vegafria, "Through Senator Manny Pacquiao's vision, we have a basketball league that truly reaches the grassroots level. Finally, Filipinos from all walks of life who have the talent and passion for the game will be able to show their mettle in the hard court. This is another platform where Pinoys can find their potential basketball heroes."

ABS-CBN Integrated Sports head Dino Laurena also expressed his excitement about the league, noting its vision is in tune with ABS-CBN Sports' mission, adds, "It was very natural for us to get together because of our shared vision for Philippine sports and our desire to support Filipino athletes at the grassroots level."

Much like the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), the MPBL features teams that represent a locality and also utilizes a home-and-away format that enables teams to be able to play in their own home court in front of their fanbase. There are ten teams for the inaugural season, all of which are based in Luzon, although it has been bared that there is a possibility for expansion into Visayas and Mindanao in the future.

Teams are also mandated to have at least three truly home-grown players on its roster.

Notable MPBL players in its inaugural season are the likes of Gary David and Pari Llagas, as well as former NCAA standouts Gab Dagangon, Ryusei Koga, and Khiel Misa.

To encourage fans to attend the opener at The Big Dome, the league will raffle off a car and ten motorbikes.

Make sure to check out the MPBL on S+A and S+A HD, as well as on iwantv.com.ph and skyondemand.com.ph.