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The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines that was founded in 2017 and began play in 2018. As of 2024, there have been eight teams that are no longer active members.
The Basilan Steel joined the league in the 2018–19 season and last played in the following 2019–20 season. In the latter season, Basilan made the division finals where they would end up tying the Davao Occidental Tigers in the best-of-three season. As the league resumed play on the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Steel were the only team to not fully recover from the virus, causing the league to rule Basilan out of the playoffs' resumption. [1] Basilan would later change its name to the Basilan Peace Riders as the team moved on from the MPBL. [2]
After their last season in regular MPBL play, Basilan would take part in the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup, where in the 1st Conference, they would win their first and only league championship, earning a spot in the 2021 MPBL Invitational as a direct qualifier. Basilan would end up winning the first edition of the Invitational in overtime against the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards.
Afterwards, Basilan took part in the Pilipinas Super League, where the team would last play in. The Basilan-based franchise is the only such, current and former, to be based in the Bangsamoro region.
Joining as Cavite's second team, the Bacoor City Strikers' tenure in the MPBL lasted for four seasons from 2018–19 to 2023. The Strikers made the playoffs in every season they took part in, including a run to the 2023 MPBL finals, where the team was swept by the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. [3] Gab Banal won the 2019 Most Valuable Player award while playing for Bacoor. [4]
First going by the Cebu City Sharks, the team that last went by the Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol joined the league in the 2018–19 season and last took part in the 2019–20 season. The team made the playoffs in 2019 as the eighth seed, losing to the Davao Occidental Tigers in a sweep. In the lead-up to the 2023 season, Cebu was listed among the returning teams for that season, yet their return did not materialize with no reason given. [5]
The Cebu-based franchise is the only such, current and former, to be based in the Central Visayas region.
During Makati's four-year run, the team has been consistent contenders in the league, going top-three in the North Division in all but the 2022 season. Despite that, the team has never made a Finals appearance. In 2020, Makati made the division finals against San Juan Knights, however, the COVID-19 pandemic brought financial trouble to the franchise, causing contract issues with key players. Makati would lose to San Juan in game 3 by a 77-point margin. [6] The last went by the Makati OKBet Kings in 2023. [7]
The Mandaluyong El Tigre is the first team to go inactive as well as the league's shortest-tenured, having only taken part in one season: the 2018–19 season. That season, Mandaluyong finished 8–17, ranked 11th in the North Division, and missing the playoffs. Mandaluyong is notable for acquiring Bobby Ray Parks Jr., who won the ASEAN Basketball League Finals MVP in 2018 right before joining the MPBL. [8] Mid-season, Parks was drafted second overall by the Blackwater Elite in the 2018 PBA draft.
The Navotas Uni-Pak Sardines are the only founding member in this list, as the Navotas Clutch. Navotas made the playoffs twice in 2018 and in 2019, but didn't make past the first round of either. Navotas' tenure in the league lasted for three seasons, ending with the 2019–20 season.
The team joined as the Pasig Pirates, making them the second incarnation of the former team that played in the Metropolitan Basketball Association. It also makes them the oldest MPBL team that isn't active. Despite a rough 2018–19 campaign that saw the team finish with the worst record that season, the team has made the playoffs in the three seasons since. Their best season came in 2022 when they clinched the second-seed in the North Division, but feel short against the San Juan Knights in the division semifinals. The team last took on the moniker of Pasig City MCW Sports. [9]
The Tarlac United Force is a special case, as they didn't take part in league play. The team was set to compete in the 2024 season as an expansion team, but due to financial concerns, the league pulled the team out on April 16, 2024. Still, the league mentioned the province of Tarlac as a potential expansion location, which could pave the way for the re-establishment of the franchise. [10]
| Team | Seasons | First season | Last season | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Won | Lost | PCT | App. | GP | Won | Lost | PCT | ||||
| Bacoor City Strikers | 4 | 2018–19 | 2023 | 104 | 69 | 35 | .663 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 10 | .545 |
| Basilan Steel | 2 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 55 | 27 | 28 | .491 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | .625 |
| Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol | 2 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 55 | 26 | 29 | .473 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Makati OKBet Kings | 4 | 2018–19 | 2023 | 104 | 66 | 38 | .635 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 7 | .417 |
| Mandaluyong El Tigre | 1 | 2018–19 | 25 | 8 | 17 | .320 | 0 | – | – | – | – | |
| Navotas Uni-Pak Sardines | 3 | 2018 | 2019–20 | 63 | 24 | 39 | .381 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 |
| Pasig City MCW Sports | 4 | 2018–19 | 2023 | 104 | 55 | 49 | .529 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 6 | .333 |
| Tarlac United Force | 0 | 2024 (withdrew) | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | |
The Quezon City Toda Aksyon is a Filipino professional basketball team based in Quezon City. 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 Amoranto Arena.
The Basilan Peace Riders, also known as the Basilan-BRT Peace Riders for sponsorship reasons, were a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of Basilan. The team last competed in the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) and played their home games at Lamitan Capitol Gym in Lamitan.
The Makati OKBet Kings were a Filipino professional basketball team based in Makati. The team last competed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and played their home games at Makati Coliseum.
Pasig City MCW Sports was a Filipino professional basketball team based in Pasig. The team last competed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and played their home games at both Pasig Sports Center and Ynares Sports Arena.
The 2018–19 MPBL season, also known as the MPBL Datu Cup, was the second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. The regular season began on June 12, 2018 and ended on March 11, 2019. The playoffs then began on March 12, 2019 and ended on April 25, 2019 when the San Juan Knights defeated the Davao Occidental Tigers in five games in the 2019 MPBL finals.
Davao Occidental Tigers, also known as Davao Occidental Tigers – Cocolife due to sponsorship reasons, are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of Davao Occidental. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as a member of the league's South Division. They are the lone team based in the Davao Region.
The 2019 MPBL playoffs, also known as the MPBL Datu Cup playoffs, was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2018–19 season, the league's second overall, and the first under the 16-team playoff format. The postseason tournament began on March 12, day after the end of regular season on March 11, 2019, and ended at the conclusion of the 2019 MPBL finals. The 2019 MPBL finals saw the Davao Occidental Tigers battled San Juan Knights for the national championship, with the Knights winning in five games, 3 games to 2.
The 2019–20 MPBL season, also known as the MPBL Lakan Season or the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season for sponsorship reasons, was the third season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. It was also the last season of the league's semi-professional era, as they would turn professional in December 2021. The regular season began June 12, 2019 and ended on February 12, 2020. The playoffs then began on February 15, 2020, and ended on March 21, 2021 when the Davao Occidental Tigers defeated the defending champion San Juan Knights in four games in the 2021 MPBL finals.
The 2020–21 MPBL playoffs, originally billed as the 2020 MPBL playoffs and also known as the MPBL Lakan Cup playoffs, was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2019–20 season, the league's third overall, and the second under the 16-team format. The postseason tournament began on February 15, 2020 and concluded on March 21, 2021, after the fourth game of the 2021 MPBL finals. The league suspended all the playoffs due to the COVID-19 outbreak in March 12, 2020. After a year of stoppage of play, the league got an approval from the IATF-EID and resumed the playoffs on March 10, 2021, inside a bubble hosted by Subic.
Gabriel Banal is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Quezon Huskers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). He was drafted 22nd overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2014 PBA Draft. After spending time with the GlobalPort Batang Pier, he played in the PBA D-League, the MPBL and the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 league before returning to the PBA in 2021. He is the son of former basketball player and coach Joel Banal.
The 2022 MPBL season was the fourth season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and the first as a professional league. The regular season began on April 25, 2022 and ended on October 13, 2022. The playoffs then began on October 15, 2022 and ended on December 12, 2022, when the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards defeated the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in four games in the 2022 MPBL finals. This season featured 22 teams, the first time the number of teams decreased from the previous season, as nine teams departed from the league.
The 2022 MPBL playoffs was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2022 season, the league's fourth overall, and the third under the 16-team format. The postseason tournament began on October 15, 2022, two days after the end of the regular season on October 13, 2022, and concluded on December 12, 2022, following the conclusion of the 2022 MPBL finals.
The 2023 MPBL playoffs was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2023 season, the league's fifth overall, and the fourth under the 16-team format. The postseason tournament began on October 6, three days after the end of the regular season, and ended on December 2, 2023.
Michael Vincent Galang Juico is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Pangasinan Heatwaves of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). He was drafted 30th overall in the 2017 PBA draft by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Although he had a short PBA career, he has since won titles in other leagues, both in the amateur and professional level.
The 2024 MPBL season is the sixth season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and its third under professional status. The regular season began on April 6, 2024 and will end on September 28, 2024. The playoffs are expected to begin in October 2024. This season features 29 teams, with two expansion teams making their debut: the Abra Weavers and the Pangasinan Heatwaves.
The following is a timeline of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and its member teams. Founded in 2017 and later beginning play in 2018, the league currently features 29 member teams as of 2024.
The North Division is one of two divisions in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), the other being the South Division. Both divisions were formed as a result of the league's national expansion in the 2018–19 season. As of 2024, the North Division consists of 14 teams.
The 2022 Pasig City MCW Sports season was the third season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
Michael Mabulac is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Pangasinan Heatwaves of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
