By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Nineteen players who traced their roots from Western Visayas (WV) are rostered in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, which will kick off at the Smart Araneta Coliseum this Sunday, November 5.

Among the 19 Region 6-based players, five came from Negros Occidental, five were from Iloilo, four from Bacolod City, three from Aklan, one from Capiz, and one from Antique.

NorthPort Batang Pier has the most number of Region 6 players, with three in Iloilo province’s San Miguel-native Juan Paolo Taha, Iloilo City’s Paul Zamar and Bacolod City’s Jeffrei Chan.

TNT Tropang Giga also has three WV-based players in Bacolodnons Kib Montalbo and Justin Chua (on injured list), and Negros Occidental’s Manapla-native Paul Varilla.

Meralco Bolts has two in Ilonggo Antonio Jose Caram and Negros Occidental’s Pontevedra-native Raymar Jose, while Rain or Shine Elasto Painters also has two in Negros Occidental’s Escalante City-native James Yap and Capiznon Mac Belo.

For their part, the NLEX Road Warriors also have two in Aklanon Kris Rosales and Ilonggo Clint Doliguez, while San Miguel Beermen also has two in Bacolod-native Siverino Baclao and Ilonggo Jericho Cruz.

Terrafirma Dyip also has two in Negros Occidental’s Silay City-native John Paul Calvo and Aklanon Andreas Cahilig, while Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters has Bago City-native Raul Soyud and Antiqueño Tzaddy Rangel.

Converge FiberXers has one WV-based player in Aklanon Keith Zaldivar, who recently transferred to the squad from Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots.

There are some notable Region 6-based players who were not rostered in Bacolodnon Reynel Hugnatan, who is now part of the Bolts’ coaching staff, as well as Iloilo province’s Estancia-native Billy Ray Robles, who is now with Makati in the MPBL.

PBA Season 48 will kick off with the match up between the Tropang Giga and the Hotshots on Sunday night, after the PBA Season 47 Leo Awards./ASC, WDJ