MBA All-Star leaves for Jones Cup today

The Metropolitan Basketball Association selection leaves for Taiwan today to compete in the 25th Jones Cup tournament slated July 13-24. Supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, the 11-man will be accompanied by Gems head coach Francis Rodriguez and deputies Nash Racela of the LBC Batangas Blades and Lawrence Chongson of the Osaka-Pangasinan Waves.

The Jones Cup opens tomorrow, but the Filipinos won’t be seeing action until Monday, when they meet Lokomotive Novosibirsk of Russia at 7:30 p.m.

Formed barely a week ago, the team conducted twice-a-day practices for the past four days with Rodriguez giving emphasis on the physical conditioning of the players owing to the long break taken by the MBA National Conference due to the Jones Cup stint. Former MVP awardees Romel Adducul of Osaka Pangasinan, LBC Batangas Alex Compton and Eddie Laure will banner the team, which, according to Rodriguez, is competitive despite its limitations and short preparation.

Others expected to deliver are Gilbey’s Olongapo Jeffrey Flowers, who averaged 19.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in last year’s edition while playing for FedEx Laguna Lakers, and high-flying Gem Bruce Dacia.

Completing the team are RCPI Negros’ Reynel Hugnatan and 1998 MVP John Ferriols, TPG Davao’s Billy Mamaril and Peter June Simon, Cebuana Lhuillier’s Egay Echavez and last-minute addition Kalani Ferreria of the Osaka Pangasinan Waves.

The MBA selection will be competing against teams from the United States, Russia, Canada, China and Chinese Taipei.

The Filipinos will try to better the fourth place finish of the Lakers, then boasting prolific gunner Chris Clay, last year.

This will mark the fourth straight year that the Basketball Association of the Philippines headed by Tiny Literal and Graham Lim has tapped the MBA to represent the country in the Jones Cup.