Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Alab Pilipinas has forged a new partnership with a familiar face in the ASEAN Basketball League.
Team owner Charlie Dy announced that the Philippine side will now be backed by San Miguel, marking the conglomerate’s return to the regional league.
“It’s definitely a good partnership as they committed long term in supporting Alab Pilipinas as San Miguel believes in our vision,” the approachable executive said.
“They don’t want to disappoint the Filipino fans here and all over the world.”
This isn’t the first go-round for San Miguel in the ABL as it competed for two seasons under the Beermen banner and flaunted the likes of former PBA Most Valuable Players Asi Taulava and Eric Menk, as well as an upstart June Mar Fajardo, who is the reigning four-time PBA MVP.
Under coach Leo Austria, San Miguel made two Finals appearances and won the 2013 ABL Championship.
Alab parted ways with former backer Tanduay following reported differences between the rhum company’s management and head coach Jimmy Alapag.
Curiously, no Tanduay official was present in the team’s 94-91 overtime win against Chong Son Kung Fu on Wednesday.
Alab Pilipinas sits at fourth in the 2018 ASEAN Basketball League with its 7-4 card and will unveil its new name when it returns to action on Sunday against the Singapore Slingers.
The transition won’t be much of a problem given a number of players’ familiarity with San Miguel Corporation.
Veterans Dondon Hontiveros, Rico Maierhofer, and Josh Urbiztondo all saw action for SMC teams in the PBA, while World imports Renaldo Balkman (San Miguel) and Justin Brownlee (Ginebra) have also previously served as reinforcements in the company’s PBA teams.
Reigning ABL Local MVP Bobby Ray Parks Jr.’s father, the late Bobby Parks, was also a San Miguel import during the late 1980s and previously served as the ABL team’s first head coach.