By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Bacolod City aims to continue their winning tradition in the 2023 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) despite undergoing a massive facelift during the offseason.
Janjan Pastias and three-point gunner Jerome Garcia were the remaining holdovers from the previous Bacolod squad that competed in the 2021-2022 MPBL season.
Aside from the Bacolod City-native Pastias, the squad also signed up three more homegrown players in Coy Alvez, Chris Menguez and Domark Matillano.
Matillano was the most experienced among the four Bacolodnons as he suited up for several teams in MPBL and the league’s reigning three-point shootout champion.
The squad also has three players with Philippine Basketball Association experience, in brothers Allan and James Mangahas, as well as Harold Arboleda.
James and Arboleda saw action for Meralco Bolts and NLEX Road Warriors, respectively, while James recently suited up for San Miguel Beermen in the PBA 3×3 tournament.
Also notable players for the Bacolod City squad were Andretti Stevens, Mac Montilla, Mark Sarangay, JR Ontengco, Justine Alano, John Cantimbuhan, RJ Arciaga, Harvey Quinto, and John Sarmiento.
Serving as head coach for Team Bacolod is Monel Kallos, who has broad experience of coaching in the league as he previously handled Bicol Volcanoes and Sarangani Marlins.
Team Bacolod City is the third Western Visayas-based team in the upcoming MPBL season, aside from the returning Iloilo United Royals and Negros Muscovados.
Bacolod, under previous coach Alex Angeles, had a decent finish in MPBL last season where they went all the way to the division finals before losing to Zamboanga in the do-or-die game./ASC, WDJ