Basilan was just a win away from a historic appearance in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) National Championship but the Davao Occidental Tigers had another thing on their mind. In the crucial seconds of their game two (2) encounter, the Ilonggo Superman, Billy Ray Robles, unleashed a booming triple which hit nothing but net to give the Davao Occidental Tigers a three (3) point cushion, 77-74 with less than a minute remaining in the game.
In the succeeding possession, Alyn Bulanadi responded with a floater to pull Basilan to within a point but Bon Bon Custodio calmly retaliated with a soft bank shot to restore the Tiger’s lead to three (3), 79-76. Basilan had a chance to tie the game or cut the lead in their next possession but Bulanadi airballed a three point shot as the ball slipped off his hands. Mark Yee then put the game beyond reach after he sunk both of his free throws after he was intentionally fouled, 81-76.
With the win, the Davao Occidental Tigers tied the best of three series, 1-1, and the series will return to Davao where the Tigers will have a chance to knock out Basilan in front of their home crowd. But they should not take the Steels lightly. To recall, Basilan pulled off a tough upset win against the Bacoor Strikers in front of the latter’s hostile crowd and followed it up with an inspired showing in the Tigers’ own lair in game one.
In the succeeding possession, Alyn Bulanadi responded with a floater to pull Basilan to within a point but Bon Bon Custodio calmly retaliated with a soft bank shot to restore the Tiger’s lead to three (3), 79-76. Basilan had a chance to tie the game or cut the lead in their next possession but Bulanadi airballed a three point shot as the ball slipped off his hands. Mark Yee then put the game beyond reach after he sunk both of his free throws after he was intentionally fouled, 81-76.
With the win, the Davao Occidental Tigers tied the best of three series, 1-1, and the series will return to Davao where the Tigers will have a chance to knock out Basilan in front of their home crowd. But they should not take the Steels lightly. To recall, Basilan pulled off a tough upset win against the Bacoor Strikers in front of the latter’s hostile crowd and followed it up with an inspired showing in the Tigers’ own lair in game one.
A win that can redefine Basilan
The upcoming rubber match on March 13, 2020 is expected to be an all-out tussle between the two Mindanao ball clubs. For Davao Occidental, it hopes to return to the national finals and avenge a heartbreaking loss it suffered against the San Juan Knights last season.
As for Basilan, they have nothing to lose but everything to gain. They have been regarded as the underdogs coming into the Division Semis, much less the Division Finals, but they showed that they can slug it out with the big boys. Reaching the Division Finals is already an accomplishment but Basilan has nothing on its sight but the National Championship Trophy.
Simply put, a win against the defending South Division Champion Davao Occidental Tigers could mean everything for Basilan, a province blessed with scenic beaches and abundant natural resources yet suffers from a stigma caused by the bad publicity it gets from the sporadic violence and rampant kidnappings perpetrated by the notorious Abu Sayaff group. It is for this reason that Basilan, through Basketball, is determined to change its image for the better.
It was therefore not surprising that when the opportunity to participate in the second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) came knocking, Basilan did not hesitate to join the budding league as a way to promote the province. For the second season or the Datu Cup of the MPBL, Basilan formally fielded a basketball team aptly called the Basilan Steel.
The team monicker “Steel” is a tribute to the province’s glorious past as a blacksmith for swords. In fact, the Yakan word “Besih” translates to Steel, a product processed from iron ore deposits which are abundant in the province of Basilan. In the early days, the people of Basilan has forged bladed weapons such as a wavy sword locall known as “Kalis”. Such element is also present in Basilan’s logo.
Tumultous campaign in the Datu Cup
Unfortunately for Basilan, its first season was rough sailing to say the least. While the team was able to sign up the services of ex-PBA players in Denis Daa, Jojo Tangkay, and Ferdinand Lusdoc, the team did not have enough firepower against talent-laden squads such as the eventual champion San Juan Knights and runner up Davao Occidental Tigers. Consequently, the Steel became the whipping boys among the twenty-six (26) teams as they only manage to post a win-loss record of 7-18, the second worst in the league behind the Rizal Crusaders
Nevertheless, Basilan’s gamble paid off as the team was able to gain the support of the people of Basilan as evidenced by the jampacked crowd in its first and only home game of the season. The team also piqued interest for the province of Basilan at it carried the province’s name wherever it played. Obviously, Basilan’s initial campaign in the MPBL was a failure if based solely on its record, but it can be said that its participation in the league paved the way for a stronger return.
The Rebuild and rise
Coming from a disappointing Datu Cup season, Basilan made sure to revamp its lineup to be more competitive in the Lakan Season especially since the number of participating squads increased to thirty-one (31). First, it retained the services of head coach Jerson Cabiltes who joined the team at the later part of the Datu Cup.
It then recruited former professional Basketball players which include Jonathan Uyloan, a member of the Rain or Shine champion team in 2012 who also played in PBA teams Globalport and Meralco; Anthony Bringas, who suited up for the Meralco Bolts in the PBA and played for the 2016 William Jones Cup champion team Mighty Sports-Philippines; former Perpetual Help standouts Gab Dagangon and Jett Vidal; former San Sebastian star Allyn Bulanadi; and Irven Palencia, one of the top scorers of three-peat NAASCU champion St. Clare. Former pro Dennis Daa was also retained by the team.
Basilan likewise pirated from the Quezon City Capitals two (2) MPBL All-Stars in Jay Collado and Hesed Gabo; Bobby Balucanag and Shaq Alanas from the Pasay Voyagers; Michole Sorela from the Navotas Clutch; Jhaps Bautista from the Makati Super Crunch.
With a loaded lineup, expectation was high for the Basilan Steel. The team nonetheless didn’t disappoint as they won their first two games against the expansion team Bicol Volcanoes and the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. It continued to pile up wins and had a winning record until the end of the eliminations.
The team’s record got even better when Alyn Bulanadi arrived on November 16, 2019 after a stint in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season 95. With his sweet shooting and athleticism, Bulanadi helped Basilan win four (4) straight games after his arrival all the way to a third (3rd) place finish in the Southern Division.
In the playoffs, Basilan easily dispatched Iloilo United Royals in the first round, 2-0, thanks to a homecourt advantage in the second game. The second round proved to be more challenging as they faced the heavy favorites Bacoor Strikers led by last year’s MVP Gab Banal. Interestingly, it was in this series where Alyn Bulanadi’s legend continue to grow. Who would ever forget his hot shooting when he dropped three (3) consecutive buckets from downtown to steal the series from the Strikers, 2-1.
Bulanadi followed up his spectacular performance in game three (3) of their series versus the Strikers with another best-player-of-the-game worthy output in their first game against the Davao Occidental Tigers where he scored 15 points to put the Basilan in the driver seat, 74-72. Unfortunately for Basilan, a golden opportunity to book a ticket to the national finals slipped their hands as Davao Occidental avenged their home game loss with a 81-76 victory right in front of a hostile Basilan crowd.
Regardless of the result, Basilan already overachieved and they proved that a bottom-feeding team can always improve. But who knows, perhaps an underdog team from Mindanao will win the championship trophy this year. If Basilan turns out to be the last team standing, the province will get the good publicity it deserves.
The upcoming rubber match on March 13, 2020 is expected to be an all-out tussle between the two Mindanao ball clubs. For Davao Occidental, it hopes to return to the national finals and avenge a heartbreaking loss it suffered against the San Juan Knights last season.
As for Basilan, they have nothing to lose but everything to gain. They have been regarded as the underdogs coming into the Division Semis, much less the Division Finals, but they showed that they can slug it out with the big boys. Reaching the Division Finals is already an accomplishment but Basilan has nothing on its sight but the National Championship Trophy.
Simply put, a win against the defending South Division Champion Davao Occidental Tigers could mean everything for Basilan, a province blessed with scenic beaches and abundant natural resources yet suffers from a stigma caused by the bad publicity it gets from the sporadic violence and rampant kidnappings perpetrated by the notorious Abu Sayaff group. It is for this reason that Basilan, through Basketball, is determined to change its image for the better.
It was therefore not surprising that when the opportunity to participate in the second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) came knocking, Basilan did not hesitate to join the budding league as a way to promote the province. For the second season or the Datu Cup of the MPBL, Basilan formally fielded a basketball team aptly called the Basilan Steel.
The team monicker “Steel” is a tribute to the province’s glorious past as a blacksmith for swords. In fact, the Yakan word “Besih” translates to Steel, a product processed from iron ore deposits which are abundant in the province of Basilan. In the early days, the people of Basilan has forged bladed weapons such as a wavy sword locall known as “Kalis”. Such element is also present in Basilan’s logo.
Tumultous campaign in the Datu Cup
Unfortunately for Basilan, its first season was rough sailing to say the least. While the team was able to sign up the services of ex-PBA players in Denis Daa, Jojo Tangkay, and Ferdinand Lusdoc, the team did not have enough firepower against talent-laden squads such as the eventual champion San Juan Knights and runner up Davao Occidental Tigers. Consequently, the Steel became the whipping boys among the twenty-six (26) teams as they only manage to post a win-loss record of 7-18, the second worst in the league behind the Rizal Crusaders
Nevertheless, Basilan’s gamble paid off as the team was able to gain the support of the people of Basilan as evidenced by the jampacked crowd in its first and only home game of the season. The team also piqued interest for the province of Basilan at it carried the province’s name wherever it played. Obviously, Basilan’s initial campaign in the MPBL was a failure if based solely on its record, but it can be said that its participation in the league paved the way for a stronger return.
The Rebuild and rise
Coming from a disappointing Datu Cup season, Basilan made sure to revamp its lineup to be more competitive in the Lakan Season especially since the number of participating squads increased to thirty-one (31). First, it retained the services of head coach Jerson Cabiltes who joined the team at the later part of the Datu Cup.
It then recruited former professional Basketball players which include Jonathan Uyloan, a member of the Rain or Shine champion team in 2012 who also played in PBA teams Globalport and Meralco; Anthony Bringas, who suited up for the Meralco Bolts in the PBA and played for the 2016 William Jones Cup champion team Mighty Sports-Philippines; former Perpetual Help standouts Gab Dagangon and Jett Vidal; former San Sebastian star Allyn Bulanadi; and Irven Palencia, one of the top scorers of three-peat NAASCU champion St. Clare. Former pro Dennis Daa was also retained by the team.
Basilan likewise pirated from the Quezon City Capitals two (2) MPBL All-Stars in Jay Collado and Hesed Gabo; Bobby Balucanag and Shaq Alanas from the Pasay Voyagers; Michole Sorela from the Navotas Clutch; Jhaps Bautista from the Makati Super Crunch.
With a loaded lineup, expectation was high for the Basilan Steel. The team nonetheless didn’t disappoint as they won their first two games against the expansion team Bicol Volcanoes and the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. It continued to pile up wins and had a winning record until the end of the eliminations.
The team’s record got even better when Alyn Bulanadi arrived on November 16, 2019 after a stint in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season 95. With his sweet shooting and athleticism, Bulanadi helped Basilan win four (4) straight games after his arrival all the way to a third (3rd) place finish in the Southern Division.
In the playoffs, Basilan easily dispatched Iloilo United Royals in the first round, 2-0, thanks to a homecourt advantage in the second game. The second round proved to be more challenging as they faced the heavy favorites Bacoor Strikers led by last year’s MVP Gab Banal. Interestingly, it was in this series where Alyn Bulanadi’s legend continue to grow. Who would ever forget his hot shooting when he dropped three (3) consecutive buckets from downtown to steal the series from the Strikers, 2-1.
Bulanadi followed up his spectacular performance in game three (3) of their series versus the Strikers with another best-player-of-the-game worthy output in their first game against the Davao Occidental Tigers where he scored 15 points to put the Basilan in the driver seat, 74-72. Unfortunately for Basilan, a golden opportunity to book a ticket to the national finals slipped their hands as Davao Occidental avenged their home game loss with a 81-76 victory right in front of a hostile Basilan crowd.
Regardless of the result, Basilan already overachieved and they proved that a bottom-feeding team can always improve. But who knows, perhaps an underdog team from Mindanao will win the championship trophy this year. If Basilan turns out to be the last team standing, the province will get the good publicity it deserves.
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