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PBL Advancer
(November 8, 2008)

Games Today
(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)
1 p.m. – Opening ceremony
2 p.m. – Harbour Centre vs. Pharex
4 p.m. – Nutri-C Ateneo vs. Sunkist-La Salle

THE new-look Harbour Centre officially gets the ball rolling in its bid for a sixth straight Philippine Basketball League (PBL) title as the season-opening PG Flex Linoleum Cup formally kicks off today at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Top rookie pick Chris Ross and the Pharex Generix earn the right to test the mettle first of the revamped Batang Pier side in the tip-off game of a Saturday doubleheader simultaneously launching the revival of the much-awaited Women’s PBL (WPBL).

The Batang Pier-Generix encounter is set at 2 p.m., followed by the inaugural WPBL game two hours later to be highlighted by the La Salle-Ateneo rivalry with the match up pitting Sunkist against Nutri-C.

PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad, chairman Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre, deputy commissioner Tommy Ong and the rest of the league’s top officials lead an elaborate and colorful opening ceremony set at 1 p.m. to welcome the new season.

The hour-long rite will have the PBL honoring one of its fearless sons in Romel Adducul, now with Purefoods in the pro league, whose will to win a personal battle (nasal cancer) in the face of adversity is truly commendable.

Also to be cited is Major Naz Cablayan for his dedicated service in the firefighting department.

The rest of the honorees are the 18 players, led by three-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jason Castro of Harbour Centre and Hapee’s Gabe Norwood, who contributed in the resounding success of the 2008 PBL season, all of whom are now playing as pros.

Aside from Castro and Norwood, those to be feted are Mark Borboran and Larry Rodriguez of Hapee, Harbour Centre’s Sol Mercado, TY Tang, Chad Alonzo, Beau Belga, Jonathan Fernandez, Jeff Chan and Rob Reyes, Magnolia’s Bonbon Custodio and John Paul Escobal, Bacchus’ Nat Cruz, Lawrence Bonus of Burger King, Toyota Otis’ CholoVillanueva and Kelvin dela Pena of Noosa Shoes.

The opening day will be highlighted by the game between the celebrities, led by Cesar Montano, Bayani Agbayani, Dennis Padila, Joko Diaz, Jorda Herrera and Ian Veneracio against the league’s officials and sponsors, among them, Trinidad, Jacque Ruby, Jerome Ngo of Gerry’s Grill, Carl Abungan of Gatorade and Raymund Legarde of Accel.

In the absence of Castro and Co., the Batang Pier are hard-pressed to keep their championship tradition as they seek an unprecedented sixth consecutive crown and cement the franchise’s status as arguably, the greatest team ever to play in the 27-year history of the PBL.

With only Boyet Bautista, Edwin Asoro, Jerwin Gaco, Rico Maierhofer and the comebacking Reed Juntilla as holdovers of past Harbour Centre rosters, the team sought help from outside forces and got a big lift when it sealed a tie-up with Far Eastern University.

The partnership netted the Batang Pier the core of the Tamaraws’ squad composed of Mark Barroca, Benedict Fernandez, Aldrech Ramos, Reil Cervantes and former UAAP Rookie of the Year JR Cawaling, giving Harbour Center coach Jorge Gallent enough confidence of another possible title romp by the franchise.

“We do have the materials to win a sixth straight PBL championship,” said the architect of Harbour Center’s dynasty.

But out to spoil the Batang Pier’s opening bid are the Generix, whose own campaign for a breakthrough title has been boosted by the acquisition of the 6-foot-1 Ross, a Fil-Am guard out of US NCAA Division I school Marshall University, and Mapua gunner Ian Mazo.

The duo are expected to add more firepower to a Pharex lineup already teeming with talent behind the presence of Elmer Espiritu, Sean Co, Francis Allera, Ronnie Mathias, Ian Saladaga, Alfredo Gerilla and Don Villamin.

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