Cebu City Sharks primed to ‘devour’ foes in MPBL

CEBU, Philippines — He is still in the process of assembling a cohesive fighting force, but coach Gilbert Castillo is dead set on putting up a highly competitive team that will be representing Cebu in the second conference of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) set to open on June 12 when the country celebrates its Independence Day.

Castillo made this vow during the formal launching of the International Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IPI)-backed Cebu City Sharks yesterday at Robinsons Fuente Activity Center.

The Sharks are powered by former former starts of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), six of them are products of 12-time CESAFI champions University of the Visayas (UV) Lancers. They are John Abad, Harold Cincoflores, Franz Arong, Alfred Codilla, Raffy Oktubre and Cesar Catli.

The other members of team are Enrico Llanto, William McAloney, and Ian Ortega of the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, Victor Nunez and Kevin Villafranca of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, Bernie Bregondo and Jun Luz of the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras, and Garex Puerto and Mark Abadia of the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters.

They will be backed up by erstwhile pros Iron Suano, and Jondan Salvador, ug Erick Rodriguez.

Castillo admitted that he was quite surprised after being tapped to coach the Cebu Sharks considering that there are a lot of decorated coaches in this part of the region.

"Sa totoo lang, na-surprise talaga na ako ang mag-coach sa Cebu. It is quite a challenge because I know that the Cebuanos are very passionate about basketball," said Castillo, who once played for the IPI squad alongside Bong Abad and Aldrin Barola in the now defunct Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

At this stage though, Castillo gamely admitted that he is still finding the right chemistry for his team.

In fact, they have yet to hold their first tune-up match today against the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars at the USJ-R Basak Campus gym.

On May 27, they will leave for the Big City for more tune-up games against Manila-based teams to further gauge the competitive level of the Sharks.

"It is really a big responsibility. I can't promise anything right now. One thing I can assure the Cebuanos though is that we will come up with a highly competitive team. A team that whenever we step on the court, we always give our best," he added.

Castillo, a former Letran Knight, also had stints with the Pasig Blues Pirates and San Juan Knights in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), of which regionalized and community-based set-up is resurrected by the MPBL.

With expansion teams from Visayas and Mindanao, the year-long MPBL conference is divided into Northern and Southern divisions. The division champions will then slug it out for the National Championship, with winner bringing home a gold-encrusted trophy worth P10 million and ball rings for each team member. (FREEMAN)