Skyscrapers reaching for MPBL crown

MANILA, Philippines — For head coach Pocholo Villanueva, the goal of the Makati Skyscrapers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League is to live up to their moniker — to stand tall.

“They (owners) want a team that has something to prove,” Villanueva, a former champion in the collegiate level, a former pro and a tested deputy told the press during a team dinner at a private village in Makati last week.

Villanueva hopes that attitude, aside from the talent, would buoy them in the league that has now ballooned to 26 teams.

“If you have somebody who has a chip on their shoulder, especially when they’re young, mas relentless ‘yung [magiging] attitude,” he shared.

“Our team is young, and that’s our advantage,” Villanueva noted when asked about his team’s edge over a field consisting over two dozen competitors. “We want to be a run-and-gun team, so important ang conditioning.”

Aside from new faces, the Makati squad will be bolstered by cagers who have played in the Philippine Basketball Association: Rudy Lingganay, Philip Paniamongan and Mark Isip, along with a handful who he had an experience coaching over.

That combination, along with a dash of aggressiveness, hopefully, translates well in the league, Villanueva added.

“It’s a short preparation time — at least more than a month nang konti, so players who know my system, things that I run, it's always easier for us na mabuo agad before the first game of the tournament,” he said.

 “It’s a good advantage na I got my old players who know what I want and who knows kung ano ‘yung nira-run ko in my system,” said Villanueva, who is set to work hand in hand with team owners Paolo Orbeta, Paolo Pineda, and manager Martin Arenas.

Asked to further explain his agenda of standing tall in the MPBL, Villanueva closed: “Our main goal is to win the championship. We’re representing Makati and of course, we want to be number one. We joined to win the championship.”