Batangas City Embassy Chill

Last updated

Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
Batangas City Embassy Chill logo.png
League MPBL
Founded2018;6 years ago (2018)
HistoryBatangas City Athletics
2018–2021,2024
Tanduay Rum Masters
2022
Batangas City Embassy Chill
2022–2023
Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
2023–present
ArenaBatangas City Sports Coliseum
Batangas State University Gymnasium
Location Batangas City, Batangas
Main sponsor Tanduay Distillers [1] [2]
Head coach Pocholo Villanueva
Championships MPBL: 1 (2018)

The Batangas City Embassy Chill, also known as the Tanduay Rum Masters, is 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.

Contents

The team joined in 2018 as one of the founding teams of the MPBL, backed by Tanduay Distillers as part of the beverage company's athletics program, having previously owned a team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team first went by the Batangas City Athletics before changing to Embassy Chill in 2022 to promote one of Tanduay's own products. The Batangas City franchise has also played in FilBasket.

One of the most successful teams in the MPBL, Batangas City won the inaugural championship in 2018 and has made three Division Finals appearances. They currently have the second-highest all-time regular season winning percentage among active teams at .717, only behind the San Juan Knights. To date, they are the only MPBL team to make a playoff appearance in every season of the league's existence.

History

Tanduay's prior involvement

Tanduay's involvement with basketball can be traced back to the Tanduay Rhum Masters that played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from 1975 to 1987 and again from 1999 to 2001.

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

2018–2020: Batangas City Athletics and first championship

In 2018, the Batangas City Athletics were founded as one of the league's ten charter teams. With a record of 8-1, Batangas City captured the league's best record and made it to the 2018 MPBL Rajah Cup Finals, where they beat the Muntinlupa Cagers, three games to one, to become the inaugural MPBL champions. [3]

In the 2018–19 season, Batangas City ended the season with a record of 13-10 to claim the second seed in the Southern Division. The team failed to defend their championship, after they lost to the Davao Occidental Tigers in the Division Finals in three games.

In the 2019–20 season, Batangas City made their third straight playoff appearance with a record of 19-11, but lost to the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in the First Round in three games.

2022–present: Batangas City Embassy Chill

The team opted out of the 2021 Invitational before returning in 2022, in which the team was renamed to Batangas City Embassy Chill. With a 17-4 record, the team made their fourth straight playoff appearance, once again making a run to the Division Finals, where they would once again fall to Zamboanga in three games.

For the 2023 Preseason Invitational, the team was temporarily renamed as the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters.

FilBasket

As the MPBL postponed its fourth season to 2022, the Tanduay-backed franchise were among the teams that took part in FilBasket. The team first took part in the 2021 Subic Championship. The Athletics finished 8th, but lost to eventual champions AICC Manila. [4] [5]

Right before the 2022 MPBL season, the franchise took part in the succeeding 2022 Summer Championship, marking the franchise's first professional outing. As the Tanduay Rum Masters, the team finished the elimination round 11–0, winning every game. During the playoffs, they first beat Muntinlupa in the Quarterfinals but would get swept by the fifth-seeded San Juan Knights in the Semifinals. [6] [7]

Home arenas

The franchise has played most of its home slate at Batangas City Sports Coliseum. The team did play some games at other venues across the province, which includes a few games played at Batangas State University and a game played at De La Salle Lipa in Lipa.

Current roster

Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 0 Ramirez, RJ 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Far Eastern
G 1 Isit Jr., Carlos 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)1984–02–21
G 8 Oliva III, Arturo  (HG)5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Arellano
F 15 Ochea, Dawn 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)175 lb (79 kg) Adamson
C 17 Sawat, Abdul 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) UE
G/F 19 Arim, Oliver Neal  (HG)6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Centro Escolar
G 21 Alarcon, VJ  (HG)6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G 22 Hernandez, Levi 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg)1990–03–09 Arellano
F 23 Ablaza, Cedric 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) STI
C 24 Cruz, Mark Neil 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) José Rizal
C 26 Ambulodto, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg)1990–09–25 St. Clare
G 27 Importante, Vincent 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Adamson
G 31 Dela Virgen, Mark Justine 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) José Rizal
G 37 Asuncion, Jaycee John 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) José Rizal
F 43 Apinan, Jeckster 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg)1987-01-09 José Rizal
G 45 Baloria, Juneric 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)1990–06–03 UPHSD
F 81 Lunor, Darwin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) St. Clare
F/C – Porter, Kris 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg)1994–09–02 Ateneo
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Jay-R Aquino
  • Warren Capitan
  • John Mark Arenas
  • Dino Ponce Enrile
Legend
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Updated as of: March 27, 2024

Head coaches

#NameTermRef.
1Mac Tan 2018–2019
2 Goldwin Monteverde 2019
3Woody Co2019–20
4 Pocholo Villanueva 2022

Notable players

Batangas City Embassy Chill notable players
PlayerPositionTenureAwardsAll-Star
Val Acuña [8] 2018–20191x Finals MVP (2018)—
Jhaymo Eguilos2018–2020—1 (2019)
Jeff Viernes 2018–2020—2 (2019, 2020)
Cedric Ablaza20221x All-MPBL First Team (2022)1 (2022)
Jeckster Apinan 2022–present1x All-MPBL Second Team (2023)1 (2023)
Mark Niel Cruz2022–present—1 (2023)

Season-by-season records

League champions
Division champions
Qualified for playoffs
Best regular season record

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffs
DivisionFinishGPWLPCTGBStageResults
Batangas City Athletics
2018
Rajah Cup		—1st981.889—Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		won vs. Bataan, 2–0
won vs. Valenzuela, 2–0
won vs. Muntinlupa, 3–1
2018–19
Datu Cup		South2nd251510.6005First Round
Division Semifinals
Division Finals		won vs. Imus, 2–1
won vs. Zamboanga, 2–1
lost vs. Davao Occidental, 1–2
2019–20
Lakan Season		South4th301911.6337First Roundlost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2
Batangas City Embassy Chill
2022 South2nd21174.8101First Round
Division Semifinals
Division Finals		won vs. Bacoor City, 2–1
won vs. Rizal, 2–0
lost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2
2023 South2nd28226.7861First Round
Division Semifinals
Division Finals		won vs. Imus, 2–0
won vs. General Santos, 2–1
lost vs. Bacoor City, 0–2
All-time regular season record1138132.7175 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record352213.6291 Finals appearance
All-time overall record14810345.6961 championship

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Tanduay's MPBL stint hinges on grassroots development". The Philippine Star . February 6, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Tanduay Athletics joins MPBL, sets in motion grassroots program". Manila Bulletin . February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Batangas holds off Muntinlupa to win inaugural MPBL Championship". ABS-CBN News. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  4. ↑ Panerio, Jonas N. (November 8, 2021). "Rogado leads Mtrans Buracai De Laiya past Muntinlupa in Filbasket". Sunstar. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Former Batangas-Tanduay Athletics mentor to coach in FilBasket". Manila Times. October 14, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay drops hint of basketball comeback with Filbasket logo post". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay makes pro basketball return, joins new FilBasket season". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ Joble, Rey (January 31, 2018). "Ex-PBA players Acuña, Alvarez proving worth on Batangas in MPBL". Business World. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
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