A gauntlet has been thrown down by officials of Barangay Ginebra and
newcomer Meralco, the two ballclubs that will duke it out in the Oct.
3 inaugural game of the PBA Philippine Cup, kicking off the 36th
season at the Araneta Coliseum.
Kings alternate governor Robert Non and Bolts board representative
Ramon Segismundo minced no words at the close of a three-day PBA
planning session in Bangkok last week in vowing to throw everything
into the encounter except their pension funds.
“Our employees wearing orange shirts will be there in full force,”
announced Segismundo, Meralco senior vice president and head of human resources.
“We know that Ginebra has a huge following, but we hope to also make
our presence felt.”
Segismundo and Non, along with PBA commissioner Chito Salud and
several other governors, including league chairman Rene Pardo of B-Meg
Derby Ace, joined sportswriters after dinner one evening at the Amari
Watergate Hotel and engaged each other in friendly banter.
Non, San Miguel Corporation’s basketball operations chief, smiled
coyly on hearing the veiled challenge.
“That, I have to see,” said Non, agreeing to a suggestion Ginebra may
have to ask its fans to come in red.”
“Puwede ‘yan,” Non said, laughing. “Para magka-alaman agad ng maaga pa.”
An opening day featuring Ginebra is a rare occurrence because the PBA,
assured of a traditionally large inaugural crowd, usually schedules
the Kings on the next play date to ensure back-to-back SRO venues.
But a special guest has personal history dating back to the glory
years of both Meralco and Ginebra, making for a gripping subplot.
“Who can resist when you have the Big J, Robert Jaworski, there on
opening day?” said Salud, who revealed that the former Meralco star –
during the old MICAA days in the ‘70s – and immensely popular Ginebra
playing-coach – in the ‘80s and ‘90s – has been invited to grace the
curtain-raiser.
Jaworski, along with Alberto ‘Big Boy’ Reynoso, Jimmy Mariano, Gene
Lucindo, Orly Bauzon, Alfronso Marquez, Larry Mumar and a young
Francis Arnaiz, among others, stood in the forefront of the Meralco
Reddie Kilowatts’ bitter rivalry with the Crispa Redmanizers, a feud
the spilled over to the PBA after its formation in 1975, Meralco’s
eventual disbandment, and Toyota acquiring Jaworski and Co.
When Toyota folded early in the ‘80s, Jaworski and Arnaiz went to
Gilbey’s Gin, the forerunner of the Barangay Ginebra Kings, giving the
PBA its biggest attraction since Crispa-Toyota and Robert Non and
Ramon Segismundo, many years later, their merry bone of contention.(pr)
Showing posts with label Meralco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meralco. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
PBA OPENER: GINEBRA KINGS TEST METTLE MERALCO BOLTS
The Philippine Basketball Association opens its 36th season on October
3 with a certified blockbuster pitting crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra
Kings against rookie team Meralco .
Bolts.
The lone encounter is scheduled for 6 o’clock at the Araneta Coliseum
following the 4:15 p.m. opening ceremonies.
Defending All-Philippine Cup champion B-Meg Derby Ace makes its debut
on Oct. 6 against Talk N’ Text, which made key player trades during
the off season.
The Llamados-Tropang Texters game comes off at 7:30 p.m. after the 5
p.m. match between Rain or Shine and Powerade (formerly Coca-Cola) –
two teams that are expected to make some noise in the league’s first
conference.
Defending Fiesta Cup titlist Alaska takes its turn on Oct. 8 when it
battles Barako Bull at 5 o’clock. On that same day, San Miguel Beer
also opens its campaign against new-look Air 21, powered by top two
rookie picks Noy Baclao and Rabeh Al-Hussaini.
“We have a lot of fresh talents coming in this season and a new team
in Meralco. So I am very sure the games will very thrilling and
exciting,” said league Commissioner Chito Salud.
The league’s first road game has been scheduled on Oct. 9 pitting
Powerade against Barangay Ginebra in Batangas City.
The PBA Commissioner’s Office has released playdates for the first two
weeks of October. The rest of the schedule are as follows: Oct. 10
(Cuneta Astrodome) Meralco vs Barako Bull, TNT vs SMB; Oct. 13
(Araneta Coliseum) Air 21 vs ROS; Derby Ace vs Alaska; Oct. 15 (Cuneta
Astrodome) Alaska vs ROS, Meralco vs TNT; Oct. 16 (Naga City) Derby
Ace vs Air 21 and Oct. 17 (Araneta Coliseum) Barako Bull vs Powerade;
SMB vs Barangay Ginebra.
Tournament format will be inter-intra meaning the 10 teams will be
divided into two groups. Teams in the same group play each other once
while playing teams in the opposite group twice.
Bracketed it Group A are Alaska, Barangay Ginebra; TNT, Meralco and
Air 21. In Group B are Derby Ace; SMB; ROS; Powerade and Barako Bull.
The last two teams after the classification round will be eliminated.
The quarterfinals will pit No.1 vs No. 8 and No.2 vs No.7 with the top
two seeds enjoying a twice to beat advantage. The games between No. 3
v No.6 and No.4 vs No.5 will be a best-of-three affair.
Winners if the quarterfinals will advance to the best-of-seven
semifinals. (pr)
3 with a certified blockbuster pitting crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra
Kings against rookie team Meralco .
Bolts.
The lone encounter is scheduled for 6 o’clock at the Araneta Coliseum
following the 4:15 p.m. opening ceremonies.
Defending All-Philippine Cup champion B-Meg Derby Ace makes its debut
on Oct. 6 against Talk N’ Text, which made key player trades during
the off season.
The Llamados-Tropang Texters game comes off at 7:30 p.m. after the 5
p.m. match between Rain or Shine and Powerade (formerly Coca-Cola) –
two teams that are expected to make some noise in the league’s first
conference.
Defending Fiesta Cup titlist Alaska takes its turn on Oct. 8 when it
battles Barako Bull at 5 o’clock. On that same day, San Miguel Beer
also opens its campaign against new-look Air 21, powered by top two
rookie picks Noy Baclao and Rabeh Al-Hussaini.
“We have a lot of fresh talents coming in this season and a new team
in Meralco. So I am very sure the games will very thrilling and
exciting,” said league Commissioner Chito Salud.
The league’s first road game has been scheduled on Oct. 9 pitting
Powerade against Barangay Ginebra in Batangas City.
The PBA Commissioner’s Office has released playdates for the first two
weeks of October. The rest of the schedule are as follows: Oct. 10
(Cuneta Astrodome) Meralco vs Barako Bull, TNT vs SMB; Oct. 13
(Araneta Coliseum) Air 21 vs ROS; Derby Ace vs Alaska; Oct. 15 (Cuneta
Astrodome) Alaska vs ROS, Meralco vs TNT; Oct. 16 (Naga City) Derby
Ace vs Air 21 and Oct. 17 (Araneta Coliseum) Barako Bull vs Powerade;
SMB vs Barangay Ginebra.
Tournament format will be inter-intra meaning the 10 teams will be
divided into two groups. Teams in the same group play each other once
while playing teams in the opposite group twice.
Bracketed it Group A are Alaska, Barangay Ginebra; TNT, Meralco and
Air 21. In Group B are Derby Ace; SMB; ROS; Powerade and Barako Bull.
The last two teams after the classification round will be eliminated.
The quarterfinals will pit No.1 vs No. 8 and No.2 vs No.7 with the top
two seeds enjoying a twice to beat advantage. The games between No. 3
v No.6 and No.4 vs No.5 will be a best-of-three affair.
Winners if the quarterfinals will advance to the best-of-seven
semifinals. (pr)
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
PBA BOARD OKAYS MERALCO ENTRY
The PBA Board of Governors have officially approved the sale of the Sta. Lucia Realty franchise to Meralco during its regular meeting Tuesday paving the way for the return of the country’s biggest electric company to the basketball scene.
Now that the franchise transfer is official, the league’s newest ball club will start forming the team according to Ramon Segismundo, Senior VP and head of Human Resources and Corporate Services, who will also represent Meralco in the PBA board.
Betty C. Sy-Yap, SVP and finance officer, will be the alternate governor.
Segimundo also announced that B-Meg derby Ace’s Ryan Gregorio has accepted their proposal to coach the team.
The Meralco executive refused to divulge the terms of the contract other than saying they offered Gregorio a “proposition that made him move.”
With the coach already in place, forming the team will now be the subject of an organizational meeting that is expected to take place next week upon Gregorio’s return.
Gregorio is scheduled to leave with his family today for a short vacation in Guam and will return Monday.
“We will be building on our acquired franchise to develop a competitive team over the long-term. Meralco’s legacy has always been intertwined with Philippine basketball. It is an honor and privilege for us to be part of PBA’s future,” said Segismundo, an executive of a multi-national company in Singapore before joining Meralco last
January.
Meralco became a household name in the 1960s until the mid 70s while playing in the defunct MICAA. Among its players at the time were former senator and basketball icon Robert Jaworski, Alberto “Big Boy” Reynoso and Jimmy Mariano. (pr)
Now that the franchise transfer is official, the league’s newest ball club will start forming the team according to Ramon Segismundo, Senior VP and head of Human Resources and Corporate Services, who will also represent Meralco in the PBA board.
Betty C. Sy-Yap, SVP and finance officer, will be the alternate governor.
Segimundo also announced that B-Meg derby Ace’s Ryan Gregorio has accepted their proposal to coach the team.
The Meralco executive refused to divulge the terms of the contract other than saying they offered Gregorio a “proposition that made him move.”
With the coach already in place, forming the team will now be the subject of an organizational meeting that is expected to take place next week upon Gregorio’s return.
Gregorio is scheduled to leave with his family today for a short vacation in Guam and will return Monday.
“We will be building on our acquired franchise to develop a competitive team over the long-term. Meralco’s legacy has always been intertwined with Philippine basketball. It is an honor and privilege for us to be part of PBA’s future,” said Segismundo, an executive of a multi-national company in Singapore before joining Meralco last
January.
Meralco became a household name in the 1960s until the mid 70s while playing in the defunct MICAA. Among its players at the time were former senator and basketball icon Robert Jaworski, Alberto “Big Boy” Reynoso and Jimmy Mariano. (pr)
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