Some MPBL squads in dire financial straits

Former Bataan guard Jai Reyes. MPBL PHOTO

(First of two parts)

Enjoying a career renaissance, former Ateneo star Jai Reyes was faced with a dilemma whether or not to accept an offer to return to the PBA, either with Phoenix or TNT KaTropa, following a strong debut season in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

Seeing the growth of the league and experiencing the atmosphere in each venue, Reyes felt right at home in the MPBL, the league founded by Sen. Manny Pacquiao that aims to provide opportunities for homegrown stars and players looking to revive their careers.

“I was already exploring a career outside of basketball, like going into business, but the MPBL was one of the reasons why I wanted to play again,” Reyes said.

“I saw the potential of the league and believed in the vision of the league. It had a collegiate feel to it,” Reyes went on. “People really come out to support the home teams. There’s a sense of belongingness for us, players.”

Spurning the offers from the PBA, Reyes, who played for the Laguna Heroes and the Navotas Clutch in the Datu Cup last year, decided to stay in the MPBL after signing a two-year deal with the Bataan Risers, who were forming a team made up of former collegiate stars and battle-tested veterans.

But the months followed turned out to be a nightmare for Reyes and his teammates, with franchise operator Zetapro of Anthony Zubiri unable to fulfill financial obligations to players and the staff, led by multititled PBA coach Jong Uichico.

Uichico also came out of a hiatus and coached again, a comeback that was short-lived.

A winner of nine PBA titles and two-time coach of the year, Uichico also wasn’t paid for two months.

“Regardless if you need the money or not, it was their obligation,” Uichico said in a separate interview. “But the former owner [of the Risers] continues to talk to me, and I hope to the others as well, just asking me for time to settle his obligations.”

Uichico, because of budget cuts imposed by the new owner, has left the team and was recently named as one of the assistants of Tim Cone in the Gilas Pilipinas Five that will defend the Southeast Asian Games basketball gold at home.

“We were not paid for two months plus bonuses,” said Reyes, who has sought legal help to claim his salary.

“We tried to do our job even though our salaries were delayed. But it’s come to a point that we also have to think about our families and move on.”

There have been countless feel-good stories over the course of the three seasons of the MPBL, which has grown from 10 teams in its first season to 26 in the second and 31 in the ongoing third season.

Father and son Marlou and Matt Aquino fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing together with the Bacoor Strikers, and stars like the veteran Gary David and Pao Javelona got their chance to represent their hometowns.

And these overshadowed talk of the league existing to serve political purposes of Pacquiao, first, and the team owners, second.

The experience of Reyes with the Risers, and most recently that of the Bicol Volcanoes, whose majority owner, Gil Orense, has been accused of mismanagement because of financial issues, have served as a wake-up call to the league to police their ranks.

There have been reports that Bicol’s management owes some hotels and restaurants a hefty sum—despite receiving money from sponsors—which were incurred in home games by the Volcanoes.

MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said the league has applied measures to protect the players, which include putting them in a dispersal draft so they can find other teams when they get released.

(To be concluded)