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| Manny Pacquiao (second from left) led the launch of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League held at the Aristocrat Restaurant in Manila. Alongside him are Assistant Commissioner Sacar Macantal, League Commissioner Snow Padua and Operations Head Zaldy Realubit. (Image Source: The Philippine Star/Philstar.com) |
It seems like that the Countrywide Basketball League will have serious
competition in the coming months as eight-division Filipino world boxing
champion and Philippine senator Manny Pacquiao is putting up a basketball
league that is made for aspiring basketball players from the barangay level -
the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
There are aspiring players from different parts of the country who have
dreamed of becoming professionals which thought to be impossible for anyone to
reach, and it looks like the MBPL is giving these fine young rookies the opportunity
to showcase their own skills in hopes of making it in the pro basketball scene
since the league is made to focus on grassroots and put the spotlight on the
future of local basketball. This just proves that the fighting pride of the
Philippines is not intended to rival the PBA or the popular collegiate leagues.
Well, twelve teams from Metro Manila and several provinces in Central Luzon
and CALABARZON are slated to compete in home-and-away games for a chance to win
the Supremo Crown which is known to be the league's overall championship plum
once its initial season begins with five different conferences on hand. The league
is planned to expand its reach and inviting aspiring players living in Visayas
and Mindanao following the course of the first season. Oh, and the
participating squads will serve as mother clubs of their corresponding
barangays where players in these areas will compete for a chance to be picked
up as part of the city or province's roster at any point in the tournament.
