MANILA – After taking a leave of absence due to the uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Iloilo United Royals-Cocolife is making a return in the 2023 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) season.
According to Royals president JJ Javelosa, they are set to assemble “a formidable and competitive squad” in their grand MPBL comeback as they hope to move deeper in the playoffs round.
“The team is really aiming for a grand comeback,” Javelosa told Panay News on Tuesday. “We took a leave last year because it was uncertain if there is a MPBL due to the country’s COVID-19 situation.”
“But come the 2023 MPBL season, we are optimistic that we can form a formidable and competitive team that can keep in step with the powerhouse and stacked teams in the MPBL,” he added.
Javelosa further said that the XYZ of Jon Co remains as one of the Royals’ partners but they also got added boost from Cocolife and One4BF of Frank Lao.
Manu Inigo, the former mentor of the San Beda University’s high school boys basketball team, has been tapped as the new head coach of the United Royals, replacing Eric Gonzales.
Javelosa said that some of the players the United Royals are eyeing were former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ Brix Ramos, AJ Madrigal and Conrad Catapusan.
Other players who were linked to the United Royals squad were former Bacolod Master Sardines player Jason Strait and former University of Perpetual Help Altas forward Rom Mangalino.
“We are already talking to some former UAAP players but we will also be eyeing to conduct tryouts in Iloilo City soon because we want to give exposure to our homegrown players there,” Javelosa said.
The United Royals last played in the league during the 2021 MPBL Invitational bubble tournament where they were defeated by the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in the quarterfinals round.
The United Royals will be the second Western Visayas-based team in the upcoming MPBL season aside from returning Negros Muscovados. The Bacolod BingoPlus has yet to signify intention of returning for the 2023 season./PN
