Now is the time for genuine Pinoy Basketbol to dribble back into the mainstream of Filipino life and national sports.
“I agree, the MPBL is giving Pinoy players and followers something similar to the original PBA,” said Fritz Gaston, who shone on his own in what has come to be celebrated as the classy days of well-admired Pinoy Basketbol.
Gaston, a one-time PBA standout sentinel, was doing a great job as chief of the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) boxing division, until his untimely replacement last year by a Palace appointee from Davao City.
The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, organized and launched by Sen. Manny Pacquiao last year, is busy preparing for its second season, counting on participation from expansion clubs in the South, including Davao, Zamboanga, General Santos and Cebu.
Explained Gaston: “Philippine basketball had clearly been bastardized with the decision of the PBA to take in Fil-Am players direct from the USA in the mid-’90s, in a bid to offset the threat of the Metropolitcan Basketball Association (MBA).”
Gaston called those intruding alien entities on the national basketball turf FIL-SHAMS.
Yes, Gaston agreed, the MPBL is Manny Pacquiao’s way of giving back Pinoy Basketbol back to loyal Filipino fans and the true-blue Filipino basketeer.
With a total of 10 clubs in its initial year, MPBL televised, should be able to go full-blast starting its second season.
Basketball hotbed Cebu should be able field more than just one club, once scheduling of home games is corrected and finalized.
There’s no way but up and up for Manny Pacquiao’s MPBL which, above all, aims to redevelop and save Philippine basketball from total decay.