NBL Philippines seeks to turn pro

By Jesus A. Garcia, Jr.


THE country’s premiere amateur basketball organization, the National Basketball League Philippines, is now determined to turn professional, according to the league president Celso “Soy” Mercado. And yes, if this plan pushes through with the approval of our country’s professional sports entity, the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), this will be the country’s second professional basketball body after PBA, and the third professional basketball group organized after the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) which I used to be a part of as the commissioner of our very own Pangasinan Presidents (and later called Pangasinan Waves).

Mercado said the league is also hell-bent to launch the first women’s professional basketball league that will be dubbed WNBL Philippines but will prioritize the men’s division first.

The amateur NBL was founded on June 7, 2018. Unlike the PBA format and the discontinued MBA, the new NBL system is focusing on grassroots players, to give a chance to the young ones to prove their skills and talents. Mercado said the tournament is absolutely for bona fide residents of their places and exclusively from 18 up to 29 years of age. Its purpose is to give the young ones to expose themselves, prove their worth in this James Naismith-invented sport unquestionably the number one game in the country, then and now.

The original 10 teams were all from Luzon namely Parañaque Aces (the first champion),  Dasmariñas Ballers, Laguna Pistons, Camsur Express, Taguig Generals, Nueva Ecija Go Bespren, Marikina Shoemakers, Rizal Spartans, Quezon City Rising Stars and Bulacan Makabayan.
In fact, this rising league ballooned to 18 squads after just one season with Muntinlupa Emeralds, La Union PAOwer, Pasig El Perata, Imus Bandila, Pampanga Delta, Zambales Converge Fiber X-Men, Iriga Oragons and One Cainta Titan adding the lineup. The Taguig Generals captured the second season.

The third season started last November 16, 2019 with 14 teams colliding. Unfortunately, Zambales, Iriga, Bulacan, Imus and Cainta begged off which I believe was because of financial issues. But fortunately, after a year of absence, Marikina is making a comeback.

I watched some NBL games on TV before the COVID-19 scare.  I noted it has a very different set-up that’s if you compare it with PBA. Similar to the defunct MBA, NBL is a regional-based multi-months tournament and only bona fide resident of his province, city or municipality can play for the team, no more, no less. Like the MBA, it’s a home-and-away system of play and with only 18 to 29 years of age that can participate, unlike PBA and MBA. And, if the concept of WNBL also pushes through (and I guess it will), WNBL will be the very first professional basketball women’s league to happen in this basketball-crazy country which PBA and MBA never attempted to do, or even considered at all. The NBL motto: ‘Ang Tahanan ng Tunay na Homegrown.” I agree, sans doubt.
Let’s wait for the games to start.

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My heartfelt sympathy to the family of young cyclist Lawrence C. Redila of Barangay Linmansangan, Binalonan, Pangasinan who died on August 3, 2020 due to septic shock. The 15-year-old Redila was one of the Pangasinan representatives in cycling during the 2019 Batang Pinoy National Games winning one gold and one silver medals held in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. May he now be in the hands of the Lord.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter, But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness but is subject to eternal condemnation.” MARK 3: 28-29

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