Keeping the core of its championship-winning squad from last conference, Batangas City-Tanduay is bracing for a tough title-retention bid in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), which tips off June 12 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Athletics will miss Letran’s Bong Quinto early in the season due to his NCAA commitment with the Knights, but coach Mac Tan will have the rest of his squad for the long haul.
With the MPBL adding 16 more teams to bring the total number to 26, Tan said consistency and depth will be crucial if they want to contend for the title.
“We’ve been preparing for a long season,” said Tan, whose team lost just two games en route to the inaugural season crown. “I’m not saying our team has an advantage. We’ll just play with confidence.”
New recruits Sandy Cenal, Lucas Tagarda and Bong Galanza are all expected to make an impact for the Athletics, who retained the services of Anta-Rajah Cup Most Valuable Player Val Acuña, point guard Lester Alvarez, big man Jaymo Eguilos and sixth man Tey Teodoro.
“We’ve tied up our key players to longer deals, some of them until 2020,” Tan revealed. “We are a family in Tanduay.”