Negros Muscovados

Negros Muscovados
2024 Negros Muscovados season
League	MPBL
Founded	2021;3 years ago (2021)
History	Negros Muscovados 2021–present
Arena	La Salle Coliseum
Location	Bacolod, Negros Occidental
Team colors
Head coach	Bonnie Garcia

The Negros Muscovados are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Negros island. The team currently competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of three teams based in the Western Visayas region. The team plays their home games at La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, which they share with their Negros island rivals, Bacolod City of Smiles.

The team was established in 2021 when they began play during the 2021 MPBL Invitational, but wouldn't compete full-time until the 2023 season. ^{[1] [2]}

History

Entering the league

The Negros island was first introduced to the MPBL in the 2019–20, when the city of Bacolod was awarded one of six expansion teams that season. On February 8, 2021, the Negros Muscovados formally entered the league, becoming the second team to represent the island and the third team from Western Visayas. ^[3] The team was initially going to make their debut in the 2021 MPBL season before it got postponed to 2022. The Muscovados would instead make their league debut in that year's Invitational tournament. ^[4] In the Invitational, the team lost all five games of their games in the group stage and didn't advance to the playoffs.

Competing full-time

Whilst the team did not participate in the 2022 season, the team's first full-time stint with the league would come the following season. The Muscovados were one of two expansion teams that season, the other being the Quezon Huskers. ^[2] In its first full-time season with the MPBL, Negros finished with a 10–18 record and ranked 11th in the South Division, two games behind the eighth-seeded team and region rivals Iloilo United Royals.

Team identity

The name alludes to the Negros island being a major producer of muscovados.

Prior to its regular season debut in 2023, the team replaced their colors, replacing blue and yellow with green, gold, and black. The color green is meant to represent the land of Negros. The logo includes a masskara, itself a reference to Bacolod's MassKara Festival, and six sugar canes and granules representing Western Visayas, which is designated as Region VI. ^[5]

Current roster

Negros Muscovados roster v t e
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 4 Geolingo, Bill  (HG) 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) G 10 Longa, Jose Piero  (HG) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Philippines G 55 Gilbor, John Alfred  (HG) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G – Alcaide, Jimber 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) G – Antiporda, Jojo  (HG) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) UE F – Atabay, Mark 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) G – Bacay, Patrick 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) OLFU G – Cani, Hubert 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Far Eastern G/F – Capobres, Alvin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 1994–08–19 San Sebastian – Caunan, Enrique 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) G – Comia, Jefferson 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) F – Cruz, Jeremy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) UE G – Ludovice, Yvan 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) San Beda G/F – Mahinay, Germy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) National-U – Malinao, Saturnino 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) G – Palma, Renz 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 1993–01–03 UE G/F – Pangilinan, Mark Joseph 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) C – Pascual, Daryl 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Letran C – Raflores Jr., Buenaventura 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 1994–10–17 Mapúa G – Ramos, Brix 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UP Diliman C – Una, James  (SGL) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) San Sebastian – Weber, Ruel 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	Head coach Bonnie Garcia Assistant coach(es) Juan Nicolau Imperio Vicente Plagata Jr. Jorge Bernard Sausa Jay Divinagracia Legend (HG) Homegrown (FF) Filipino-foreigner (SGL) Special Guest Licensee Injured Roster – via Genius Sports Updated as of: April 6, 2024

Head coaches

• Rolando Aledron Jr. (2021–2023)
• Bonnie Garcia (2023–present)

Season-by-season records

	League champions
	Division champions
	Qualified for playoffs
	Best regular season record

Season	Regular season					Playoffs
	Division	Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
Negros Muscovados
2023	South	11th	10	18	.357	Did not qualify
2024		To be determined
All-time regular season record			10	18	.357	0 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record			0	0	–	0 Finals appearances
All-time overall record			10	18	.357	0 championships

References

1. Inquirer, Philippine Daily (November 27, 2021). "P2-M bounty for MPBL champion". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
2. "Quezon, Negros Musovados join MPBL as 5th season features 26 squads". The Philippine Star. January 31, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
3. Luarca, Roy. "Negros Muscuvados fielding homegrown talents in MPBL". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
4. "Muscovados to compete in MPBL Invitational". Panay News. November 12, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
5. "New Logo, New Version of Negros Muscovados". Negros Muscovados. January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2024– via Facebook.