MBA second phase on

LBC Batangas and Nueva Ecija try to keep their supremacy over their respective rivals when the MBA Second Phase opens today at the San Juan Gym.

The Batangas Blades tangle with the FedEx Laguna Lakers at 5 p.m. following the Nueva Ecija Patriots-Socsargen Marlins tussle at 3 p.m.

Both the Blades and the Patriots beat their opponents twice in the MBA First Phase and are again favored by virtue of their stronger rosters.

The Blades and the Lakers, fresh from a fourth-place stint in the Jones Cup in Taipei, have intact lineups.

Nueva Ecija will be steered by new head coach Arlene Rodriguez who took over from Jojo Villa. Another veteran mentor, Nemie Villegas, has been designated assistant coach and team consultant.

Rodriguez has tapped Jay Magat, Ramil Ferma and Paolo Malonso to bolster the Patriots’ roster, replacing Matt Makalintal, Junjun Bantigue and Dexter Racho.

Socsargen, which will again be coached by Boyzie Zamar, has taken in Edwin Pimentel and Joselito Martin in its bid to improve on its last place finish in the First Phase.

Sunday’s games at the Tinga Gym in Taguig pit Cebuana Lhuillier against Nueva Ecija at 3 p.m. and LBC Batangas against Socsargen at 5 p.m.

If the MBA selection is tasked to defend the Southeast Asian Games basketball crown in Kuala Lumpur, games from Sept. 9-16 will be moved to Nov. 4-11. Games slated Sept. 5 and Sept. 7 will be moved to Nov. 14 and 16, respectively, to give way to the National Broadcasting Network’s (PTV 4) coverage of the SEA Games.

Meanwhile, lawyer Ogie Narvasa has tendered his resignation as MBA commissioner effective Sept. 1, 2001. The Multi-Regional Board Inc. will act on the matter in its meeting today.

In a move that caught almost everyone by surprise, Narvasa has resigned as commissioner of the MBA citing personal matters as the main reason why he had to vacate the post he assummed before the start of the 2000 season.

Ramon Tuason, marketing head of the four-year-old league, broke the news Wednesday night to the members of the MBA selection, who are preparing for the 21st Southeast Asian Games scheduled Sept. 8 to 17 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"He’s very troubled about his family. His youngest is four years old and his eldest son is in the hospital. Ayaw niyang 50 percent sa family and then 50 percent sa league. And he said that he values his family more that’s why he resigned," added Tuason.

Narvasa, a lawyer by profession, also lost his wife Ma. Christine Charity to cancer last June and this could have also played a big role in his resignation, which takes effect tomorrow.

"But the board has yet to accept his resignation that’s why we will have a managers’ meeting to discuss the matter," said Tuason. Once the board accepts Narvasa’s resignation, they will have to name a replacement since the MBA’s Second Phase is underway.

Tuason said Narvasa’s resignation would hardly affect the league since the latter had left behind a league manual. "The engine will run the same whoever is the driver. Pulido ang sistema na ginawa niya para sa liga, kaya kahit na sino ang umupo, tatakbo ito," said Tuason.