Sunkist-Unity Cup launched tonite

After retracing the roots of the league the past 20 years and going into cyberspace with the website MyPBL.Com, the Philippine Basketball League embraces the new season with the launching of the Sunkist-PBL Unity Cup tonight at the Atrium of the SM Megamall Bldg. A.

Spicing up the event, which starts at 6 p.m., will be the presentation of the 20 greatest PBL players in elaborate rites in what could be a reunion of the past and present PBL stars and officials together with PBL fans who supported the league through the years.

Meanwhile, a clinic on basketball basics for kids aged nine to 15 will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Sunkist-PBL Unity Cup will be the take-off conference of the new era dubbed as "PBL: 20 Years and Beyond," a vision that PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad believes will steer the league to greater heights in its task of discovering, tapping and developing future cage superstars.

"This is the main reason for our new battlecry, "PBL: We Grow Champions," which emphasizes the league’s successful programs and will continue to map out better programs to pursue more successes all for basketball development in the country," said Trinidad.

First, the league prides itself with the renewed commitment of RFM Corp. as title sponsor, considering that RFM president and CEO Joey Concepcion was the longest serving PBL chairman for 12 years.

Second, the PBL welcomes the return of San Miguel Corp. through Viva Mineral Water. It was SMC chairman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco who was the founding chairman of the then Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL) in 1983.

The most important rationale behind the slogan is Trinidad’s vision to unite all Filipinos and become one country through basketball.

"If the people behind the PBL were able to bond together and survived trying times and transformed the league into a solid respectable institution, I believe that we Filipinos, no matter what our differences are, could also rise as a stable, peaceful and prosperous country if we just all work together," he added.

Joining the PBL in this call for national unity are the 20 All-Time Greatest Players who have not only made their impact in Philippine basketball but also to the nation through their influence and inspiration, especially to the youth.

Twelve of them were actually installed in the league’s history as "The PBL Legacy" during the launching of the league’s 18 years of existence in 2000, namely: Alvin Patrimonio, Benjie Paras, Allan Caidic, Vergel Meneses, Johnny Abarrientos, Danny Ildefonso, Jerry Codiñera, Jun Limpot, Jojo Lastimosa, Marlou Aquino, Eric Menk and Sonny Cabatu.

Patrimonio, who launched his career with Lhuillier and Yco Paints in the old PABL days, inspired the fans with his stint as Purefoods’ main man and will be best remembered for winning four MVPs in the PBA and becoming the first PBA multi-millionaire, earning P25 million in five years in 1984.

Paras, one of the protégés of noted coach Joe Lipa with Philip Sardines in the PABL, blossomed into a slam-dunking, shotblocking artist and made PBA history by becoming the first and only Rookie-MVP in the pro league.

Who can forget Jerry Codiñera, whose defensive skills made him one of the most reliable players in the league; Jojo Lastimosa, who brought the PABL to the height of its popularity when he played for Mama’s Love in 1986 and was revered for his three-point snipings and so with Allan Caidic who not only brought honors to the country as a national player but also as a national coach; while Cabatu made an impact as bruiser on the defensive end, scored enough points to shine and won two MVP plums while playing for ESQ Marketing in the PABL.

Meneses, Abarrientos, Limpot, Ildefonso, Aquino and Menk followed their trails as they ushered in the new generation of cage superstars and have represented the country in international competitions at one time or another.

They will be joined in the elite list by Kenneth Duremdes, Dondon Ampalayo, Renato Agustin, Roger Yap, Yancy de Ocampo, Ren-Ren Ritualo, 2002 Challenge Cup MVP Romel Adducul and Welcoat Paints coach Leo Austria, who won the 1984 PABL Ambassadors’ Cup Most Valuable Player award.