Check out the lineup of Negros Muscovados for 2023 MPBL Season >>> Negros Muscovados Lineup and Roster 2023 MPBL Regular Season.
The Negros Muscovados is the newest basketball team to participate in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the team officially announced its participation to the fastest growing and currently the biggest Philippine basketball league on February 27, 2021.
The Negros Muscovados will be the third Western Visayas-based team in the MPBL and the 32nds team (33rd but Mandaluyong took a leave of absence in the Lakan Season). The other teams include the Bacolod City Master Sardines and the Iloilo Royals who had an impressive run in its maiden season.
The Negros Muscovados team is owned by John Alfred Gilbor and his father Engineer Bernabe M. Gilbor who also operate Silvergraces Construction and Construction Supply in Pontevedra and Bacolod City. Engineer Gilbor aims to promote local talents of Negros and to encourage the youth to strive hard in order for them to play in the MPBL and show their mettle on national TV. As of this writing, the team has already signed the services of more than ten (10) local players who are tasked to carry the name of Negros in the regional basketball league.
The goal of Engineer Gilbor is shared by his assistant coach Jophil Cercado. According to Jophil Cercado, the main objective of the team is to discover local basketball talents in Negros and to allow Negrense hoopers to shine in a bigger stage just like the MPBL. This is the reason why around half of the squad is from Negros Occidental but slots are allotted for recruits from other places such as Metro Manila to boost the team.
The Negros Muscovados aims to continue the winning tradition of the Negros Slashers squad in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) which included notable players such as John Ferriols, Dorian Peña, Jack Tanuan, and Michael Otto among others. The Negros Slashers were perennial contenders in the playoffs but they failed to win the championship in the first 3 seasons. It was only in the final season of the MBA that they were awarded the national championship.
With 32 teams in the MPBL, it is much challenging for the Negros Muscovados to reach the playoffs, much less win the championship. It needs to contend with more experienced teams such as the Davao Occidental Tigers and even its neighboring team, the Iloilo Royals, who are also looking to make a deeper run into the playoffs.
Based on the confirmed roster of players of the Negros Muscovados, only Christopher Menguez had MPBL experience when he played for the Parañaque Patriots in the Lakan Season. Meanwhile, more than half of the team are considered MPBL rookies and they have to rely on the presence of their veteran teammates.
NEGROS MUSCOVADOS LINEUP
MPBL INVITATIONAL 2021
| Pos | Player | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Dave Yulo | ||
| Jeric Adorio | 6'0 | |
| Janus Calma | ||
| Rolly D. Jaca | ||
| Jaycee Adjei | ||
| Jonathan Gantalao Jr | ||
| Francis Parreño | ||
| F | Christopher Menguez | 6'3 |
| Ritcer Santillan | ||
| Jafet Claridad | ||
| Michael Maestre | ||
| Ralph Jude Dinolan | ||
| Bill Geolingo | ||
| Jay Gadon | ||
| John Alfred Gilbor | ||
| Michael Macion |
Team Owners
Engineer Bernabe M. Gilbor
John Alfred Gilbor
Head Coach
Rolando A. Aledron Jr
Assistant Coaches
Jophil P. Cercado
Edmundo G. Sibaya
Ireneo S. Morales
Jay R. Divinagracia
Admin Staff
Rocky R. Gomez
Michelle N. Gomez
The fate of MPBL's fourth season which is supossedly dubbed as Mumbaki Cup, however, remains uncertain. The recent surge in the number of confirmed positive Covid-19 cases had forced several leagues such as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to defer their opening.
The PBA was originally scheduled to open its 46th season on April 2021 but they have to postpone it indefinitely. The same is true for the Women National Basketball League (WNBL), the first professional Women's basketball league in the Philippines.
The Premiere Volleyball League (PVL)'s first season as a professional volleyball league was also affected. To this day, the opening games remains postponed.
The MPBL is looking to open its fourth season or the Mumbaki Cup tentatively on June 12, 2001. According to sources, there are nineteen (19) teams who communicated their intention to participate in the fourth season which is most likely be conducted in a bubble-type setup in Subic similar to the MPBL playoffs last March 2021.