THE second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) will kick off tonight in the Araneta Coliseum with a total of 26 teams.
The Cebu City Sharks, a team backed by International Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI), is one of the expansion teams this season but most of their games will be played in Manila.
The Sharks will make their debut on June 21 against Bacoor Strikers in Muntinlupa.
“I think this season is more exciting because most of the teams are balanced in terms of their lineup. We can’t say yet who are the top title-contenders,” said MPBL head of operations Zaldy Realubit.
The 26 teams are divided into Northern and Southern Conference.
Cebu City belongs in the Southern Conference together with the Bacoor Strikers, Basilan Steel, Batangas City Athletics, Davao Occidental Tigers, General Santos City Warriors, Imus Bandera, Laguna Heroes, Marikina Shoemasters, Muntinlupa Cagers, Parañaque Patriots, Rizal Crusaders and Zamboanga Valientes. (RSC)