Pacquiao to grace MVBA opening

A new cage league, the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA), will launch its inaugural season in style with 11 participating teams on February 25 at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology Gym in Iligan City.

A brainchild of Visayas basketball prime movers coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba and Michel Lhuillier, the league was formed primarily to discover and develop young cage potentials and ensure the transition of talents from the Visayas and Mindanao region.

"Despite problems among the country's cage stakeholders, it's undeniable that basketball remains the passion of the nation," said Alcoseba, the Cebu City South District Councilor, who is also the BAP-7 director and head coach of multi-titled M. Lhuillier team.



"A lot of talents from the Visayas and Mindanao region have made their own marks in Philippine basketball. A lot more are waiting for their chance and the MVBA will provide the avenue for the growth and development of new cage heroes from the south," Alcoseba added.

No less than the Filipino hero himself, world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, will grace the opening ceremonies. Pacquiao personally assured Alcoseba that he would go to Iligan City and support his very own team, PacMan-General Santos.

Pacquiao's PacMan-General Santos is one of the five teams in the MVBA's Mindanao division and will face neighbor Montana Pawnshop-Davao of Armando Quibod in the opening tussle at 5:30 p.m.

It will be followed by the 7:30 p.m. main game between host team Iligan City of Mayor Lawrence L. Cruz versus the visiting Misamis Oriental of MVBA Chairman Gov. Oscar S. Moreno.

The Cagayan de Oro Rapids of Mayor Vicente "Dongkoy" Y. Emano complete the Mindanao Division cast.

M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City Jewelers of Michel Lhuillier leads the six-team Visayas division. The other equally competitive Visayan teams are Toyota-Iloilo of Robert Uy; West Negros College-Bacolod of BAP Western Visayas regional director Tony Agustin; Toledo City of Joe Soberano, and Mandaue City supported by Mayor Thadeo Z. Ouano and Tacloban City.

Hostilities in the Visayas will fire off on March 11 in Toledo City.