SLR 92, Racal 99

Racal-Kama Motors spoiled the return of Sta. Lucia Realty to the basketball scene by rallying from 18 points to win in overtime, 99-92, at the start of the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League Founders’ Cup at the Pasig Sports Center last 11 October.

Outscoring the Realtors, 28-14, in the fourth quarter, torrid-shooting Racal, which trailed, 47-29, at the half, then handed the ball to Jessie Saitanan, who drained 3-pointers to kick off and cap the extra period. Racal drained 10 of 28 triples while Sta. Lucia, who bowed out from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) a few years ago, went 10 of 28 beyond the arc.

Roider Cabrera led Racal with 25 points, including five three-pointers, with 9 rebounds while ex-pro Rudy Lingganay added 23 on 11 of 12 free throw shooting and 9 assists. Mark Montuano was Racal’s third 20-point-plus scorer with 21 points.

The lone missed free throw by Lingganay, who had stints with Pop Cola, Globalport, Kia and NLEX, could have averted overtime. But as it turned out, Racal, behind by 14 at the start of the fourth quarter, still had enough firepower left to deny the two-time PBA champions and PCBL founding chairman Buddy Encarnado.

“We were able to address our problems in the first half during the break,” said Racal coach Jing Ruiz, a former Letran Knight and ex-Shell player in the pros. “Sta. Lucia is a strong team. Siguro ang lamang lang namin e mas experienced ang mga players naming kaya alam nila kung ano ang gagawin kahit nakalaman ng una yung kalaban.”

Ruiz, who played several conferences with the Otto Shoes team managed by Encarnado in the Philippine Amateur Basketball League, one of the tournaments the PCBL is patterned after, showed his respect for his former benefactor by walking over to greet the Sta. Lucia team official after the customary coaches handshake after the game.

“Malaking bagay ‘tong tournament na nagawa nina boss Buddy, especially para sa mga ex-PBA players kasi bata pa naman siya para mag-retire e. Kailangan nila ang mga ganitong liga para makabalik uli sa PBA kung sakali,” Ruiz said.

Jhaps Bautista led SLR with 21 points.

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2015 Philippine Cup Roster

This is the first time we hear of this squad since it left the PBA in 2010. The “new-look” Realtors will be mentored by GlobalPort Batang Pier Team Manager Bonnie Tan, who had a measure of success as the head coach of the now defunct Bread Story franchise in last year’s PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.

Former pro Joseph “Ogie” Gumatay joins Tan on the sidelines, but has also decided to suit up as a player making him the only playing assistant coach in the league.

Among Sta. Lucia’s key players are point guards Ivan Camasura of Jose Rizal University (JRU) who also saw action for the AMA Titans in the D-League and Taylor Wetherell—the younger brother of GlobalPort draft pick Ryan. Wetherell first saw action in the country playing for the Laguna BUSA Warriors in the FBA alongside his “kuya” and gave a good account of himself for his speed and tenacity—not to mention his deft touch from the perimeter.

Veteran bigs Raymond Ilagan (Tanduay) and Mark Sarangay (Cebuana Lhuillier) add a bruising dimension to the rebuilding Realtors.

STA. LUCIA REALTORS

Head Coach: Bonnie Garcia/ Dick Clemente

Playing Asst. Coach: Ogie Gumatay

Players:

1. Cedrick Ablaza
2. Jett Vidal
3. Jun Gabriel
4. Ivan Camasura
5. Wowie Escosio
6. Raymond Ilagan
7. James Castañarez
8. Jonathan Banal
9. Sidney Omyubere
10. Mark Sarangay
11. Taylor Wetherell
12. Mark Montilla
13. Jhapz Bautista
14. Joseph Gumatay

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PCBL Has New Tasked from SBA

By Rey Joble InterAksyon.com, 8 October 2015

The newly-formed amateur commercial league Pilipino Commercial Basketball League (PCBL), headed by chairman Buddy Encarnado, was launched on 7 October night and already it is set to play a major role in Philippine basketball.

Encarnado, the longtime representative of the now-defunct PBA franchise Sta. Lucia to the PBA Board of Governors, revealed that he has been given a seat as a director in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and that the amateur league has been tasked with the duties of forming the national teams that will compete on the Southeast Asian level – the SEABA Championship and SEA Games.

He added the assignment comes from SBP president Manuel V. Pangilinan himself.

“Coming from no less than MVP and Chot (Reyes), without even setting foot on the court, the SEABA and the Southeast Asian Games were already given to PCBL,” Encarnado told a small group of sportswriters.

“That’s how much trust they have in the program that we have presented. It’s now a challenge to the players of PCBL as I have made the orientation. Let us now accept the challenge. We want to be recognized and we’ve been recognized. Now it’s time for us to show the recognition given to us by SBP.”

For the past several years, the Southeast Asian-level tournaments were the responsibility of the Gilas cadet program, with the country’s top young prospects like Kiefer Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks and Troy Rosario having the chance to represent the nation in the regional tilts.

But with uncertainty regarding the formation of the national teams due to the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) unveiling of a new competition format that could conflict directly with the schedules of several professional domestic leagues, including the PBA, the assignment of the SEABA and SEA Games tournaments – some of which are qualifying tournaments for the Asian level – to the PCBL could be the first step in a restructuring of the national program.

“We have pledged, all the members of the PCBL, we will do our share to help out the national team by taking care of SEABA and small leagues, we will now be able to let them concentrate on the primary objective and that is those tournaments leading to the Olympics and World basketball,” added Encarnado.

The PCBL is envisioned to be a throwback to the amateur leagues of old, like the MICAA and the PABL, where players from all over the country will have the opportunity to showcase their skills.

Among the teams participating in the league are Encarnado’s Sta. Lucia Realty, Foton from Pampanga, Cagayan Rising Suns, Jumbo Plastic, Kaima Tile Masters, Kama Motors, Supremolex, and Euromed.

For Encarnado, it feels good to be back after being away from basketball for the last five years – since the Sta. Lucia franchise was acquired by Meralco in 2010 after being part of the PBA for 17 years.

Being given a seat in the SBP board following the creation of the PCBL has put Encarnado, an experienced basketball executive, a chance to be back on spotlight.

“I have been invited by the SBP to sit in the board because one of the seats will be given to PCBL. (MVP) wants me to be the representative,” he added.

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The Realtors Are Back in Basketball

There was a time that the Sta. Lucia Realtors were considered as one of the more competitive teams in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) that did not compromise its principles despite the temptations from companies that handle multiple teams in the league. Five years ago, the franchise was sold to the Meralco Bolts and never heard of again, until now.

Sta. Lucia Realty is back in basketball, not in the PBA, but with the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL).

Organizers of PCBL seeks to make the league the premier grassroots tournament in the country, reviving the vision of legendary amateur leagues like the old MICAA and the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Former PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado of Sta. Lucia Realty bared that their group decided to form a stand-alone league that will showcase exciting games after seeing a huge surplus of players looking for an avenue to display their talent.

The PCBL already has eight committed teams in former PBA ballclub Sta Lucia Realtors, PBA D-League regulars EuroMed, Tanduay Rhum, KeraMix, Racal Motors, Jumbo Plastic and Cagayan Valley Rising Suns, as well as newcomer Foton.

Each team has also committed to play in the tournament for a longer period of time by putting in seed money for participation.

"We want to see an amateur league where same teams compete regularly, conference after conference," said Encarnado.

With its games set to be aired live on free television, the PCBL also hopes to stage some of their games in the provinces in order to bring the league closer to the fans.

Encarnado bared the league hopes to fill the void in amateur commercial basketball and intends to hold tournaments all year long.

"We are here to push for basketball continuity. May mga panahon kasi na walang laro and that's where we want to hold our games. At the same time, we want to co-exist with other leagues," said Encarnado, the league's founding chairman.

"We only want to satisfy the basketball appetite of our fans. We just want to rebuild commercial basketball, that's it. It's where we all (team members) started."

The Realtor's participation will mark the return to basketball of the giant realty firm, which has made its mark both in the amateur leagues and in the PBA under the stewardship of top honcho Exie Robles and Encarnado.

Sta. Lucia first got involved in basketball when it joined the PBL in the late 1980s. The Realtors finally made a jump to the professional ranks by purchasing Universal Robina Corporation’s PBA franchise in 1993.

As for Encarnado, his basketball roots date back to the days of ESQ Marketing - a team coached by Joe Lipa which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the old PABL when it beat SMC-backed Lagerlite in a 1985 finals.

During its time, Sta. Lucia made news by signing Jun Limpot to the biggest contract in PBA history at that time in the 1990s. Still, the Realtors failed to win a title even after Limpot teamed up with Dennis Espino, but more than made up for that with the tandem of Espino and Marlou Aquino, including Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes, Joseph Yeo and Dennis Miranda.

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Encarnado Could Be The Next PBA Commissioner

Buddy Encarnado, a Sta. Lucia Realtor for life, is expected to be a major contender when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board of Governors tries to identify who will be the viable replacement for Commissioner Chito Salud.

Salud announced a few days ago that he is stepping down from his post by the end of the season after serving as commissioner for five seasons. League chairman Patrick Gregorio said he expects names of possible successor to Salud to crop up during of their regular meetings.

It was not surprising that Encarnado was seriously considered given his track record. His basketball roots date back to the days of ESQ Marketing a team coached by Joe Lipa which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the old Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL) when it beat San Miguel Corporation-backed Lagerlite in a 1985 finals.

During his time with the Sta. Lucia Realtors, the team made news by signing Jun Limpot to the biggest contract in PBA history at that time in the 1990s. Still, the Realtors failed to win a title even after Limpot teamed up with Dennis Espino.

The Realtors finally won its first PBA championship in the 2001 Governors’ Cup under Norman Black and won a second one in the 2007-2008 Philippine Cup under Boyet Fernandez.

During his stint with the Realtors, Encarnado pleaded to the board to increase the number of maximum allowable number of Fil-foreigners per team. He also concedes that the Fil-Ams raise the level of the sport.

"Probably, we have better players right now, with all the Fil-Ams, malalaki, magagaling, they can jump. But I’m telling you, between you and me, where is the fervor? Hindi kagaya noon, magtatalo tayo. ‘Hindi. Mas magaling si Jaworski. Magaling si Fernandez.’ Pero ngayon wala. Sino iyong magaling na Fil-Am? People don’t know and don’t care."

Encarnado also insists that the public needs a homegrown hero to rally behind. Manny Pacquiao is immensely popular because he is homegrown. Compare him with another boxer, Brian Viloria. Who is supported by the people?

"Let us develop our homegrown instead of us trying to take the shortcut of getting the best from others," said Encarnado. "Nand’yan lang ang mga players. But we have to exert the effort to discover the young talented, obscure Filipino players. Let's go out and find them and give them exposure in the PBA."

In 2008, Encarnado was given the Danny Floro Executive of the Year Award in recognition of his work wherein he spearheaded a master plan that pieced together the materials in their championship run on March of that same year.

He was also lauded by his fellow PBA officials for sacrificing a crack at a season sweep by sacking Realtor wayward import Lee Benson in a crucial game the team could not afford to lose in the Fiesta Conference quarterfinals.

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