South Cotabato Warriors

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South Cotabato Warriors
Basketball current event.svg 2024 South Cotabato Warriors season
League MVBA (2005–2008)
NBC (2007–2008)
Liga Pilipinas (2008–2011)
MPBL (2018–present)
PSL (2024–present)
Founded2005;20 years ago (2005) (first incarnation)
2018;7 years ago (2018) (second incarnation)
HistoryGenSan MP PacMan Warriors
2005–2008
MP–GenSan Warriors
2008–2011
GenSan Warriors
2018–2023 (MPBL)
2024–present (PSL)
South Cotabato Warriors
2024–present (MPBL)
ArenaLagao Gymnasium
(last used in 2023)
Location General Santos, South Cotabato
Team colors   
Head coachElvis Tolentino

The South Cotabato Warriors are a Filipino professional basketball team based in General Santos, a highly urbanized city in the province of South Cotabato. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. The team most recently played their home games at Lagao Gymnasium.

Contents

The team's first incarnation began play in the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) as the GenSan MP PacMan Warriors from 2005 to 2008 while also playing in the National Basketball Conference (NBC) from 2007 to 2008. The team played in Liga Pilipinas from 2008 to 2011 as the MP–GenSan Warriors following the merger of the two former leagues.

In 2018, the team was revived as part of the MPBL's national expansion during the 2018–19 season. The team name was simplified as the GenSan Warriors, keeping the location identifier and moniker. In 2024, the team changed its location identifier from General Santos to South Cotabato, representing the entire province, not just the city. The team will compete in the Pilipinas Super League beginning with the 2024–25 season, utilizing their previous moniker. The Warriors are one of four teams based in Mindanao and one of two based in the Soccsksargen region, the other team being the Sarangani Marlins.

History

First incarnation (2005–2011)

The team was founded in 2005 as the GenSan MP PacMan Warriors, originally as part of the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) and later the National Basketball Conference (NBC) in 2007. General Santos then became part of Liga Pilipinas in 2008 following the merger of both leagues and renamed to the MP–GenSan Warriors. Liga Pilipinas ceased operations in 2011, ending the team's first incarnation.

Second incarnation (2018–present)

Logo of the GenSan Warriors used in the MPBL from 2022 until 2023, and in the PSL since 2024. GenSan Warriors logo.png
Logo of the GenSan Warriors used in the MPBL from 2022 until 2023, and in the PSL since 2024.

The team was revived in 2018 as part of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's national expansion in the 2018–19 season, becoming the league's first representative from the Soccsksargen region. [1] Led by homegrown player Cris Masaglang, the team finished 4th in the South Division with 14–11 record. In the playoffs, the Warriors would be swept by the fifth-seeded Bacoor City Strikers in the First Round. General Santos then added Robby Celiz and John Raymundo into the roster for the 2019–20 MPBL season. Despite those additions and improving to 18–12, GenSan only finished seventh. Once again, the team was swept by second-seeded Bacoor City. [2]

Both Celiz and Raymundo would depart from the team before the 2022 season, while also adding Nikko Panganiban. Panganiban would be declared an all-star as the Warriors once again improved, going 15–6 and finishing 4th in the South. The team would unfortunately suffer its third straight first-round exit after losing in three games to the Mark Yee-led Bacolod Bingo Plus. [3] Panganiban would leave for San Juan, while the team added 2020 MVP John Wilson from the Pilipinas Super League's Davao Occidental Tigers. Alongside Wilson is Kyt Jimenez, coming off his rookie season with region rivals Sarangani. [4] The 2023 season would be the team's most successful as it stands, finishing 21–7, improving their record yet again and breaking into the top three in its division for the first time. Wilson and Jimenez were both declared all-stars while Masaglang would win the Homegrown Player of the Year award. That season also saw the team's first-ever playoff series win, beating the Muntinlupa Cagers in three games in the First Round before losing to the Batangas City Embassy Chill in three during the Division Semifinals. [5] [6]

Heading into the 2024 season, the team will be without Jimenez, who was drafted and signed by the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA season 48 draft. The Warriors also changed its location identifier to South Cotabato to represent the entire region.

Current roster

South Cotabato Warriors roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 0 Lee Yu, Joel 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)155 lb (70 kg)1994–08–20 Far Eastern
F 1 Jamito, Jammer 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)170 lb (77 kg)1990–09–01 St. Clare
F 2 Benson, AJ  (FF)6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) St. Benilde
G 4 Elorde, Nico 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)155 lb (70 kg)1991–10–04 Ateneo
F 5 Rodriguez, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)210 lb (95 kg)1983–05–05 PMI
G 6 Tan, Eloie 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
F 7 Tolentino, Kyle Dominic  (SGL)6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Letran
G 8 Calvo, JP 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)1997–09–29 Letran
G 9 Cruz, Mark 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)150 lb (68 kg)1992–07–27 Letran
C 10 Fajarito, Christian 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Letran
F 12 Dionisio, Marwin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) José Rizal
F 16 Sorela, Michole 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) San Beda
G 19 Jeruta, Aaron 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)1994–10–16 Centro Escolar
C 26 Lantaya, Jimly  (HG)6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
F 28 Jaime, Chito 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)1983–10–21 AMA
F/C 29 Apreku, Felix 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)1991–12–06 Letran
F/C 67 Pacquiao, Rene 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)1986–09–12 Southwestern-U
Head coach
  • Elvis Tolentino
Assistant coach(es)
  • Boying Diloy
  • John Eric Coronado
  • Peter Deligero
  • Jesus Ramon Pido
Team manager
  • Mermann Flores
Legend
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • (RS) Reserve player
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Updated as of: February 23, 2025

Head coaches

#NameTermRef.
1Jesus Ramon Pido 2018–2019
2 Rich Alvarez 2019–20
3Ronnie Dojillo 2021
4Marlon Martin 2022
5Jesus Ramon Pido 2023
6Rich Alvarez2023
7Elvis Tolentino 2024

Notable players

Individual award winners

MPBL All-Star Day

PBA players

Other notable players

Season-by-season records

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

League champions
Division champions
Qualified for playoffs
Best regular season record
SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffs
DivisionFinishGPWLPCTGBStageResults
GenSan Warriors
2018–19
Datu Cup		 South 4th251411.5606Division quarterfinalslost vs. Bacoor City, 0–2
2019–20
Lakan Season		South7th301812.6008Division quarterfinalslost vs. Bacoor City, 0–2
2022 South4th21156.7143Division quarterfinalslost vs. Bacolod, 1–2
2023 South3rd28217.7502Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals		won vs. Muntinlupa, 2–1
lost vs. Batangas City, 1–2
South Cotabato Warriors
2024 South6th281711.6074Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals		won vs. Biñan, 2–1
lost vs. Batangas City, 1–2
All-time regular season record1328547.6445 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record19712.3680 finals appearances
All-time overall record1519259.6090 championships

Pilipinas Super League

SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffs
FinishGPWLPCTGBStageResults
GenSan Warriors
2024–25
President's Cup 2024–2025		2nd1082.8001Semifinalslost vs. San Juan, 0–2
All-time regular season record1082.8001 playoff appearance
All-time playoff record202.0000 finals appearances
All-time overall record1284.6670 championships

References

  1. ↑ Luarca, Roy (June 12, 2018). "MPBL: Expansion teams, new faces and stars headline Datu Cup curtain-raiser". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Bacoor Strikers rip GenSan with Pacquiao watching to move on cusp of MPBL semis". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  3. ↑ Co, Adrian Stewart (November 7, 2022). "Bacolod edges GenSan, enters MPBL south semis". Panay News. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Jervy Cruz joins Kyt Jimenez at GenSan Warriors in MPBL". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  5. ↑ "GenSan trounces Muntinlupa, tackles Batangas in semifinals". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  6. ↑ "MPBL: Batangas ousts GenSan, sets up rematch with Bacoor in South finals". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
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