MANILA – Iloilo United Royals is making its Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) return. It competes in the 2021 Chooks-To-Go MPBL Invitational tournament being eyed for December in Metro Manila.
According to United Royals team owner JJ Javelosa, Eric Gonzales will be returning as head coach of the Iloilo City-based ballclub along with assistant coach Ed Lorenz Dela Torre.
The United Royals will also have four holdovers from its 2019 MPBL roster in Ilonggo forward Michael Jay Javelosa and guard Aaron Jeruta and veterans John Mahari and Donald Gumaru.
“Coach Eric will still call the shots for us while four players that made an impact for the team in 2019 in Aaron, Jay, John and Donald are returning,” Javelosa told Panay News.
“The roster is close to being complete. We are just waiting for them to finish their prior commitment,” he added. “Rest assured that we will be fielding in a very respectable and competitive lineup.”
The United Royals had an impressive run in its debut season in the Lakan Cup. They finished the elimination round with 18-12 win-loss record. They were beaten in the quarterfinals round by Basilan Steel.
Two other Western Visayas-based basketball teams in the MPBL Invitational are Bacolod Master Sardines and newcomer Negros Muscovados.
Others seeing action in this 10-day tournament are Davao, Laguna, Caloocan, Sarangani, Bicol, Rizal, Nueva Ecija, Imus, Makati, General Santos, and Marikina.
“We’re joining the MPBL Invitational for us to assess the team that we will have and make some adjustments if necessary for the 2022 season of the MPBL,” said JJ Javelosa.
The Chooks-To-Go MPBL Invitational will use a closed-circuit system instead of a bubble type while three areas in Caloocan City, Antipolo City and Santa Rosa, Laguna were being eyed for the venue of the matches./PN
