MANILA – PBA players Alex Cabagnot, Arwind Santos and Encho Serrano were listed as part of the Pampanga G. Lanterns team in the 2023 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) season.
The three active PBA cagers were part of the official roster released by G Lanterns on Monday despite them having live contracts with their PBA mother clubs.
The 40-year-old Cabagnot just signed a fresh deal with the Terrafirma Dyip last April, 2022, while the 41-year-old Santos still has an existing one-year deal with NorthPort Batang Pier until May.
The Pampanga-native Serrano, for his part, is also still under his rookie contract with the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, which is to expire by May this year.
If ever Cabagnot and Santos’ move to the G Lanterns pushes through, it will serve as their reunion following their successful partnership at San Miguel Beermen where they won nine PBA titles.
The retooling of the Beermen during the 2021-2022 PBA Season, however, have led to the Cabagnot being traded to the Dyip and the Santos to the Batang Pier.
Also rostered with the G Lanterns is former Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots center Jean Marc Pingris, who is making a return to competitive basketball after almost four years of inactivity.
The 41-year-old Pingris, who recently resigned as Pilipinas Super League commissioner, was previously reported to play for Imus SV Squad but no deal was reached.
Other notable names in the current Pampanga roster were Justine Baltazar, King Caralipio, Louie Sangalang, Archie Concepcion, Kurt Reyson and Earnest Reyes.
The G Lanterns, which came from their PSL championship last month, are set to open the 2023 MPBL season campaign against Negros Muscovados on Thursday in Pampanga./PN
