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Saturday, April 23, 2005
NBC season starts today with Spring taking on the Jets
THE National Basketball Conference’s 2005 Panasonic National Championship begins today at 4 p.m. featuring host team Parañaque Jets playing against the Spring Cooking Oil-backed Laguna Spring at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Celebrity Janno Gibbs and the Sexbomb dancers Rochelle, Jopay, Izzy and Weng will do special live performances, while Roselle Nava will sing the national anthem in the short opening ceremonies to usher in the second season of the premier regional basketball league.
Commissioner Joey Mundo of the Philippine Sports Commission will be the guest speaker with all the team owners expected to attend. And as a way to thank the people, the league is opening the gallery section free to public.
The Jets of Vice Mayor Anjo Yllana, who hogged the headlines following their pre-season series title victory over the RP-Cebuana Lhuillier, are raring to prove they are not a ragtag team.
Former Red Bull players Bong Alvarez and Rolly Basilides, pre-season MVP Niño Marquez and slotman Larry Rodriguez are expected to lead the Jets, who will also have for the first time in their line-up actors Richard Gomez, Jomari Yllana, Wendell Ramos and Antonio Aquitania.
“Our celebrity players didn’t play in the pre-season contrary to what came out in the news. We beat the national team with our solid core,” Jets coach Jun da Jose said during the well-attended official launching of the league at the Bayview Park Hotel.
Da Jose, who coached the Ozamis Cotta to the southern conference finals last season, brought in his core of Basilides, Marquez, and 6-foot-6 bangers Rodriguez, Erick Araman, Arden Guiyab and Jhayson Alminario.
On the other hand, the Spring called back veteran playmaker Robin Mendoza following its winless showing in the last pre-season series. RCM
Mendoza will join back veterans Rodel Manuel, Mar Reyes, Chris Corbin, Marlon Kalaw and new recruits Val Domingo, ex-Batangas 29ers Sonny Manucat and Rodel Mallari.
“Half of my team are rookies but I’m expecting the veterans to step-up,” said Laguna coach Vic “Rambo” Sanchez.
The opening game will be telecast over the government-owned station National Broadcasting Network (NBN) 4pm tomorrow (Sunday) and Prime Channel 9:30 pm tonight with replays on Sunday (10am) and Monday (2pm).
The five-month tournament, which is being supported by Panasonic, Sulpicio Lines, Cebu Pacific, Philtranco, Accel, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Ping Ping Lechon and partner-hotels Bayview Park and Holiday Plaza-Cebu, will have a single-round robin format in the eliminations. (RCM)
(April 23, 2005 issue)
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