THE Cebu City Sharks-Casino Ethyl Alcohol will make its much-awaited debut tomorrow night in the second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), but will be without marquee players Patrick Jan Cabahug and John Michael Abadia.
The Sharks will face the Bacoor Strikers in the Muntinlupa Sports Complex at 7 p.m., which will be televised on ABS-CBN Sports + Action.
The vice-president of Omega Pro Sports International, Jerome Calatrava, told SunStar Cebu that the Cebuano shooting guard Cabahug is still playing in Bangkok, Thailand and will be joining the team in July. Abadia is attending to personal matters and will be available to play by the end of the month.
The two Cebuano players are both former Adamson University Falcons stalwarts in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
“As of now everybody is healthy, the lineup is complete except only for the two players who will join by the end of the month and in July,” he said. “The team played about five tune-up games against MPBL teams. Although we fell short in the tune-up games, we had a good fight and the games were close.” Calatrava called on Cebuano basketball fans to show their support—even if the game is not played here—by watching the games live on TV.
Cebu City beat Rizal, 87-80, in its final tune-up game.
“I invite the Cebuanos to support the Cebu City Sharks. We are representing Cebu on this regional-wide league. I hope the fans will support the team as much as they support their teams on the other basketball leagues,” he said.
The rest of the Cebu City Sharks are Cesar Catli Jr., Jondan Salvador, Frederick Rodriguez, William Bill McAloney Jr., Harold Cortes, Enrico John Llanto, Alfred Codilla, Garciano Puerto Jr., Francisco Akong, Ian Ortega, Victor Bongbong Nuñez, Iron Suano, Rhaffy Octobre and Kevin Rey Villafranca.
Cebu City is bracketed in the Southern Conference together with 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)