Batangas Blades

Last updated
Batangas Blades
Mba batangas blades.gif
Leagues MBA (1998–2002)
PBL (2002–2003)
Founded1998
HistoryBatangas Blades
1998–2001
LBC-Batangas Blades
2001–2003
Arena De La Salle Lipa SENTRUM
1998–2001
Lipa City Convention Center
2001
Location Batangas, Philippines
Team colorsBlack, red, yellow and white
    
Head coachNash Racela
Championships1 MBA National Championship

The Batangas Blades (or the LBC-Batangas Blades) were a professional basketball team of the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2002.

Contents

Its moniker was taken from the province's popularity in making Balisong (a Filipino-made knife). It also played for a short time in the Philippine Basketball League after the MBA folded in 2002.

The team played its home games at the De La Salle Lipa SENTRUM from 1998 to 2001 and at the Lipa City Convention Center in 2002. The PBL version of the Blades also played a number of games at both venues. To compensate the loss of the Manila Metrostars after both clubs' merger, the Blades played a few home games in Manila's Mail and More Sports Complex (now San Andres Gym).

History

Metropolitan Basketball Association

1998-2000

In 1998, the Metropolitan Basketball Association was formed as a regional-based professional league which also challenged the commercial Philippine Basketball Association. The Blades were paraded in their first season by former Adamson Falcons players Eddie Laure, Dennis Madrid, former La Salle Green Archer and part-time comedian Maui Roca and Jeff Sanders. The Blades were owned by delivery giant LBC of Santi Araneta.

Laure became the Blades' star player but the team had a disappointing 10-12 win-loss slate despite a late push for the playoffs. Despite Ralph Rivera and Fil-Am Stephen Antonio's arrival in 1999, the Blades went 12-18 and lost in three games to the San Juan Knights in the Northern Conference Wild-Card series.

In 2000, Batangas missed the playoffs with a 12-14 record.

2001-2002: Batangas-Manila merger

In 2001, the Blades and the 1999 MBA National Champion Manila Metrostars were merged into a single team, retaining the Batangas Blades name. With the merger, the team became a stronger squad with Eddie Laure, Jeffrey Sanders and Metrostar superstars 2000 MBA MVP Rommel Adducul and Alex Compton. They also added LBC to its team name, making it the LBC-Batangas Blades.

The Blades became the team to beat in the Northern Conference, compiling an 11–3 win–loss record in the first phase of the MBA season, but lost to the Andok's-San Juan Knights in the playoffs. During the second phase of the tournament, which was for the MBA National Championship, the Blades recorded another 11-3 record but this time edged the Knights 3-1 in the Northern Finals to enter their first finals appearance in history. The Blades defeated the Negros Slashers, 3-1 to win their first MBA national title. Laure was named as the MVP of the 2001 season.

In the 2002 season, Batangas lost Adducul to the returning Pangasinan Waves but made its return trip to the finals after scoring a huge upset over the top team in the North, the Olongapo Volunteers, in a one-game match for the finals spot. The Blades then lost to the Slashers via a three-game sweep in the First Conference of the season. The MBA National tournament was played but was later discounted due to the folding of the MBA. [1]

Philippine Basketball League

After the closure of the MBA, Batangas joined the amateur commercial league Philippine Basketball League. The team had Alex Compton and Jeff Sanders, but did not have the old Blades squad they had in the MBA as Laure played for the Welcoat Paintmasters. Instead, the team added some amateur players on their squad such as St. Benilde Blazers tandem of Al Magpayo and Ronald Capati and NU Bulldog Froilan Baguion. The team did retain the LBC-Batangas Blades name as the team placed fourth in the 2002 PBL Challenge Cup. In the 2003 PBL Unity Cup, the Blades did not make it to the semifinals, as the team disbanded for good.

Uniforms

In 1998, the Blades was the first game uniform design the colors were red, black and white it also contains the Blades logo with LBC script logo in the left during the first season. In 1999, the Blades was another replaced by the Blades script logo. By 2000 season the Blades was the road uniform it was color black, it was Batangas with LBC logo in the lower until early 2001. In 2001, the Blades was contains the LBC logo with the logo in the left until moves to the PBL in 2003.

Home Arenas

1999 Roster

Batangas Blades roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.
F 1 Flag of the Philippines.svg Bautista, Tyrone 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
F 2 Flag of the Philippines.svg Manucat, Cornelio 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
F 5 Flag of the Philippines.svg Ramirez, Juan Augusto 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
G 6 Flag of the Philippines.svg Rivera, Ralph Emerson 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G 9 Flag of the Philippines.svg Madrid, Dennis 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
F 11 Flag of the Philippines.svg Laure, Eddie 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F 12 Flag of the Philippines.svg Roca, Maoi 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
G 14 Flag of the Philippines.svg Makalintal, Matthew 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
F 15 Flag of the Philippines.svg de Guia, Bernard 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F 17 Flag of the United States.svg Sanders, Jeffrey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
C 22 Flag of the Philippines.svg Gamboa, Arnold 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
F 28 Flag of the Philippines.svg Saldana, Terry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Head coach
  • Salvador Ramos
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Other notable players

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Basketball Association</span>

The Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), also shortened as Metroball, was a professional basketball league in the Philippines that ran from 1998 until 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuneta Astrodome</span> Indoor sporting arena in Pasay, Philippines

The Cuneta Astrodome, also known as the Pasay Astrodome, is an indoor arena that is located in Pasay, Philippines. The arena has hosted Philippine Basketball Association games from 1993 to 1999 and again from 2001 onwards, and also currently serves as the home arena of the Pasay Voyagers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. It also became the home of the now-defunct Philippine Super Liga from 2014 to 2018. It has also hosted a slew of other political, evangelical gatherings and church anniversaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rain or Shine Elasto Painters</span> Philippine professional basketball team

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. It debuted in the league in the 2006–07 PBA season after acquiring the franchise rights of the Shell Turbo Chargers in 2006, which disbanded after the 2004–05 PBA season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 PBA season</span> 26th PBA season

The 2000 PBA season was the 26th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Rommel Adducul is a Filipino former professional basketball player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Adamson Soaring Falcons of the UAAP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manila Metrostars</span> Basketball team in Manila, Philippines

The Manila Metrostars were a professional basketball team in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2001. The team was the 1999 MBA National Champions and holds the MBA record of winning 22 consecutive games during the said season. The team was merged with the Batangas Blades in the 2001 season. In 1998, the Metrostars played home games at numerous venues such as the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym, Rizal Memorial Coliseum and a host of others before playing permanently at the Mail and More Arena.

Francisco Luis "Louie" Alas is a Filipino basketball head coach. He is the former head coach of the Letran Knights in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Philippine Patriots in the ASEAN Basketball League. He was also a former coach of Mobiline from 2000 to 2001 in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Olongapo Volunteers were a professional basketball team in the Metropolitan Basketball Association in 2002. In its only season in the league, the Volunteers made the semifinals of the tournament.

Eddie Bicoy Laure is a Filipino former professional basketball player and politician. Known by many as The Dominator and more recently, The Bounty Hunter for his daring and stunning ability to search and get loose balls on the court, he is a former MBA MVP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Compton</span> Filipino-American former basketball player and former coach

Alexander M. Compton is a Filipino-born American retired basketball player and coach. He also served as the head coach of the Alaska Aces of the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Negros Slashers also known as the RCPI-Negros Slashers were a professional basketball team in the Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2002. The team enjoyed considerable success, winning the MBA National Championship in 2002, the last season of the said league. The team was based in Bacolod, Negros Occidental.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Juan Knights</span> Professional basketball team in San Juan, Philippines

The San Juan Knights, also known as the San Juan Knights – Go For Gold for sponsorship reasons, are a Filipino professional basketball team based in San Juan. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. They are one of three teams based in Metro Manila's Eastern District and play their home games at Filoil EcoOil Centre.

Celedon Camaso is a Filipino former professional basketball player. He previously played for numerous teams in the Philippine Basketball Association, the most recent being Red Bull Barako. He was directly taken by Mobiline in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bong Ramos</span> Filipino basketball coach

Geraldo "Bong" Ramos is a Filipino professional basketball coach of the Philippine Basketball Association.

The 2002–03 season of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

The Davao Eagles were a professional basketball team of the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2002. The team was owned by Anthony del Rosario. The ballclub choose to be named 'Eagles' because the city is the home of the Philippine Eagle. In the MBA's final two years, the team became known as TPG-Davao or Professional Davao Eagles.

The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters are a professional basketball team based in Batangas City, Batangas. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of five active teams based in the Calabarzon region and play their home games at Batangas City Sports Coliseum.

The Cebu Gems also known as Cebuana Lhuillier Gems were a professional basketball team in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2002. The team was owned by Jean Henri Lhuillier. The team played its home games at the Cebu Coliseum.

David "Boyzie" Zamar is a Filipino basketball coach who currently serves as an assistant coach of San Miguel Beermen. He is the father of former UE Red Warrior and former Beermen Paul Zamar.

Jose Antonio "Tonichi" Yturri, is a retired Filipino professional basketball player and former collegiate coach.

References

  1. "Ala Eh, Champion na Hari pa". Servinio's Sports Etc.