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Owners:
Mikee Romero of Harbour Center
TonyBoy Cojuangco of ABC5
The Current Line Up:
Locals:
Gerwin Gaco
Froilan Baguion
Ian Coronel
Neil Raneses
Mark Andaya
Hafer Mondragon
Glenn Bolocon
Ian Saladaga
VJ Serois
Try-outs:
Dino Daa
Erwin Sta. Maria
Edwin Asoro
Imports:
Jeremy Robinson a 2-guard
and another one that plays center
Coaching Stuff:
Louie Alas - Head Coach
Assts.
Ryan Dy
Allan Gamboa
Kris Reyes
Bogs Adornado
Since they are a bunch of Filipino players that will represent our country as a commercial ball club to this new league formed for the aseans, lets us show our interest and support to this team.
lets start by knowing our very own philippine team.
the players, the coaches, the management.
lets try and get to know the leagues itself.
we can all make this happen starting here in these Pex Thread.
spread the news.
there's a new BIG League in sought east asia.. and the Patriots of the Philippines is here.
Godd Luck!
nice! kelan ba first game?
surprising na di pa na-include si Asoro sa line-up considering the need for a scorer sa team
Six-club pro HOOPs launched: ABL to boost regional basketball
By Joey Villar (The Philippine Star) Updated September 02, 2009 12:00 AM
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Asean Basketball League officials and team owners flash the No. 1 sign during the launching of the regional league at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati. They are (from left) ABL chair Dato Tony Fernandes, RP’s Mikee Romero and Tonyboy Cojuangco, Nadzaty Azma Azeez of Brunei, ABL CEO Kuhan Foo, SEABA chief Erick Thohir of Indonesia, Wira Daim of Malaysia, Wim Reijnen of Thailand and ABC-5’s Bobby Barreiro. Jun Mendoza
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MANILA, Philippines - The ASEAN Basketball League yesterday launched the region’s first commercial league with a home-and-away format put up to develop local talents in the region and at the same time help bridge the gap between the Asian superpowers and those in Southeast Asia.
Six clubs, headed by the Philippine Patriots, will see action in the inaugural season of the league, which came at a time when the Middle Eastern countries have started challenging China’s domination of the sport in Asia following Iran’s title conquest in the recent FIBA-Asia Championship.
No less than ABL chairman Dato Tony Fernandes, entrepreneur and founder of Air Asia, graced the launching of the tournament in elaborate rites at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City.
“We’re no less than thrilled of this event,” said Fernandes, who was joined by ABL Kuhan Foo and guests of honor Tony Boy Cojuangco of ABC 5 and Lee Chung Han of Tune Group and ABC-5 managing director Bobby Barreiro.
The event is set to unfold tentatively on Oct. 10 in Singapore and would end in January the next year with the Patriots, the Brunei Barracudas, Kuala Lumpur Dragons, Satria Muda BritAma of Indonesia, the Thailand Tigers and the heavily favored Singapore Slingers vying for top honors.
Patriots owner and RP amateur cage godfather Mikee Romero said this is a dream come true for SEA basketball.
“The ABL is a dream for us, this will bring all Southeast Asian countries under one roof and unite against the best in Asia,” said Romero. “We have already taken the first step which is the launching of this event, the second step is to make this league big.”
He added: “We’re happy and excited that we helped ABL become a reality.”
Fellow team owners Erick Thohir (Indonesia), Nadzaty Azma Azeez (Brunei) and Wim Reijnen (Thailand) along with Singapore Slingers’ representative Michael Johnson were also in attendance.
“With what’s happening around us, the ABL is a welcome relief to all Filipinos who love sports. This is a new venue for networking and a perfect vehicle to advertise one’s product,” said Cojuangco.
Also gracing the affair were ABC-5 managing director Bobby Barreiro,
Thohir, who is also president of South East Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) stressed the need for this kind of tournament, saying most of Asean countries, including the Philippines, are now far behind in terms of skills and technical know-how.
“In the 60s, the Philippines is always among the best in Asia, now a lot of other countries are now better than the Philippines. With the ABL, we hope we can bridge the gap,” said Thohir.
The Patriots, who will be coached by Louie Alas, are currently being formed although the likes of former PBA stars Vergel Meneses and Johnny Abarrientos have been mentioned to spearhead the squad.
Also being considered are Virgilio Seriors, Jerwin Gaco and Chico Lanete.
Each team will be allowed to field in a maximum of two international imports or players from outside the Southeast Asia and five reinforcements from within the region.
This early, the five other teams are said to be looking for Filipino players, still considered as the best in the region, to backstop their respective rosters.
Barrios wishes A.B.L. good luck PDF Print E-mail
Sports
Written by Joel Orellana / Reporter
Sunday, 06 September 2009 22:19
PHILIPPINE Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios does not see the fledgling Asian Basketball League (ABL) as a competitor.
In fact, he wished ABL officials good luck as the new league opens shop later this month.
Barrios said he is confident the PBA will remain as the country’s premier sports entertainment despite the creation of the ABL.
The ABL was launched last week in Makati City. Owners of three of the six teams on the regional tournament’s roster graced the occasion—Nadzaty Azma Azeez of the Brunei Barracudas, Tony Fernandes of the KL Dragons of Malaysia and Mikee Romero of the Philippine Patriots.
Top officials of the Thailand Tigers, Britama Indonesia and Singapore Slingers also attended the launch.
The Philippines will be handled by many-time national mentor Louie Alas. The team is still conducting tryouts although one-time PBA Most Valuable Player Johnny Abarrientos is already being eyed to lead the Patriots.
The country had its experience on a domestic league that saw its teams doing a lot of traveling—the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA). The MBA tried to rival the PBA but eventually folded up after five seasons because of financial woes.
RP team in ABL will be known as Patriots
August 29, 2009, 4:46pm
To show their unwavering love for the country, members of the Philippine team that will see action in the first regional professional league - the Asean Basketball League – will be called as Patriots.
This was announced on Saturday by RP team sponsors Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre and Tony Boy Cojuangco of ABC 5 after a series of consultations with various sectors on how best to improve the image for Filipino players in the international scene.
“We’re very proud of our historical and cultural heritage, so we decided that we take Patriots as our moniker in the ABL,” said Romero. “Just like what the great Ninoy Aquino said, ‘Filipino is worth dying for.’”
Several names were suggested but the “Patriots” submitted by Bandera’s Mike Lee caught the attention of Cojuangco, Romero, and ABC 5 president Bobby Barreiro.
The team’s logo will be formally unveiled on Tuesday which is also the launching of the league at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati.
According to Cojuangco and Romero, team owners and representatives of five other countries that will take part in the home-and-away tournament are also arriving.
Cojuangco believes the league has great potential to become a “big thing” in the region since its primary aim is to produce an Asean basketball hero, create a new rivalry, and promote Asean brands in the market since basketball is acknowledged as the world’s second most popular sport next to football (soccer).
Satria Muda Sets Its Sights High
With the inaugural Asean Basketball League less than a month away, Satria Muda Britama is eager to test itself against Southeast Asia’s best teams.
“We’re very serious in preparing the team for the ABL,” Satria Muda coach Fictor Roring said on Monday. “After we clinched the [Indonesian Basketball League] title, I only allowed the boys a week’s rest before starting training again.
“We don’t want to be just an addition in the ABL. We want to achieve something, to be the champion.”
Satria Muda won its fourth consecutive IBL title, and fifth championship overall since the league started in 2003, with a 3-1 series victory against Aspac Jakarta on Aug. 2.
Having asserted its dominance in the domestic game, Satria Muda will now take on five clubs from other Asean countries — the Brunei Barracudas, Kuala Lumpur Dragons, Philippine Patriots, Singapore Slingers and the Thailand Tigers.
Satria Muda and the Singapore Slingers are the only previously established clubs in the tournament, with the other four founded specially for the ABL.
Fictor said that would only make the league more interesting. “I see that almost all the clubs will use their country’s national team players plus imports. I think this will be a very tight and interesting league,” he said.
“The Philippine Patriots, of course, are the strong favorites to win the debut season. The Philippines has been dominating the region for a long time, but I think we can challenge them.”
Each team in the ABL is allowed two non-Asean players, two Asean foreigners, one player with a parent from an Asean nation and seven local players.
Fictor confirmed that Alex Hartman, a 2.01-meter small forward, would return to the club he played for during the 2008 Southeast Asian Basketball Cup, which Satria Muda won.
“We’ve reached a deal and Hartman will be in Jakarta later this month. He’s signed a season contract,” he said.
“We’re also still in talks with [Theo] Little and Filipino guard Rensy Bajar. I hope that we’ll reach deals before the end of this month.”
Little, a center standing 2.08 meters, has played in Germany, Brazil, Jordan, Chile and Mexico since graduating from Arkansas State University in 2007.
Bajar, who currently plays for Philippine Basketball Association club Alaska Aces, previously played in Indonesia. The 33-year-old guard played for Bhinneka Sritex Solo in 2005 and helped lead the club victory in the IBL Tournament, an annual preseason event.
“Rensy is a great guard with strong leadership qualities. I’ve called him several times and he sounded interested in joining us,” Fictor said of the former Philippines national team captain.
Satria Muda begins its ABL campaign with a home game against the Patriots at Britama Arena in Jakarta on Oct. 10 before hosting the Dragons a week later. ABL
BARRACUDAS JOINS THE ASEAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE
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Jan Shim 12:29 pm on September 8, 2009 Reply
Tags: ABL CHAIRMAN, Air Asia (3), Asean Basketball League (2), brunei barracudas, Brunei Professional Basketball team, Dato Tony Fernandes, event photography (8), Everwide Sports Management, KL dragons, Kobe Bryant autograph, Makati, Manila (2), Nadzaty Azma Azeez, Norizah Harun-Taylor, overseas assignment (2), Philippines (2), Renaissance Hotel, Renaissance Hotel Ballroom in Makati City, Shimworld Media, singapore slingers, Thailand Tigers, the first international professional basketball league in South-East Asia
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Read this article on BT Online | Barracudas looking for players
ASEAN Basketball League Facebook Fan Page | Asean Basketball League Official Site
According to my 2009 Forecast, I’m supposedly fated to travel—not travel as in more commutes between home in Seria and work in Bandar Seri Begawan—but travel as in overseas assignments which is what my forecast says without being vague. “ROOSTER: Smooth business deal and good business relationship. There are chances of promotion and overseas assignments.” This year I’ve skipped two overseas assignments for personal reasons (reasons that were beyond question of timing but also of life’s priorties). Of the two assignments, one was the May 9 Jack Daniels Grasshopper RIGHT NOW Concert in Singapore where I was selected as official photographer to BREEZE Magazine. Second assignment was the Rainforest Music Festival where I had agreed to represent The Brunei Times to cover but I passed.
Barracudas players Benjamin (L) and Xavier (R) with Team owner Nadzaty Azma Azeez and Manager Norizah Harun-Taylor
This time when Barracudas Team Owner Zaty invited me along to cover this inaugural event and what could potentially be the start of something huge for Brunei’s basketball community, I said Yes in a whim. It’s hard to pass up an opportunity to represent one’s country especially when you’re not a member of the official media. Thank you Zaty for the opportunity and also Reeda whom I understand recommended me for the trip.
Barracudas Team (Brunei) owner Nadzaty poses with ABL Chairman Dato Tony Fernandes (far left) and fellow team owners from Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia
Group photo of ABL Team owners: Barracudas (Brunei), Satria Muda BritAma (Indonesia), Thailand Tigers, Philippines Patriots, KL Dragons, Singapore Slingers
ABL Team owners, representatives and players: Barracudas (Brunei), Satria Muda BritAma (Indonesia), Thailand Tigers, Philippines Patriots, KL Dragons, Singapore Slingers
Our journey from KL leading up to the Official Launch in Makati, Philippines
We flew Air Asia all the way and return from Brunei to KL-LCCT to Clark Airport, Philippines
Stop-over in KL at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and a few hours of shut-eye at the Tune Hotel that's conveniently located slightly more than a stone's throw away from the domestic airport.
On arrival at Clark Airport in the Philippines, the teams from Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia congregated on Bus 732 bound for Renaissance Hotel where the official launching is held. Peeking out of the bus is a team member from Singapore Slingers and a KL Dragons player.
Here's a peek inside the coach that accommodates the entire group minus our host, the Philippines Patriots. The yellow theme in the bus greatly complements the Barracudas colour. The colour yellow is close to the hearts of Bruneians as it represents the colour of Royalty and our national flag.
A young chap on the bus sells a local delicacy called "Chicharon". According to a Tweeter reply, "Best ones can be bought in the malls and they have the brand name R. Lapids."
Chung Han, Special Assistant to Dato Tony Fernandes, joins us on the bus journey to Manila finds opening a Chicharon pack to be anything but straightforward. Michael Johnson, General Manager of Singapore Slingers (red) looks on. I wonder if they taste as good as they look—reminds me fried salmon skins except these aren't fish.
Sharing is caring! Boy continues to peddle the Chicharon to other passengers.
Barracudas Manager Norizah Harun-Taylor in an engaging conversation with Asean Basketball League's Marketing Exec, Samantha Surin
Norizah hands over Barracudas jersey to Xavier during breakfast at the Morning To Midnight restaurant at The Renaissance Hotel.
Norizah and Barracudas player Benjamin Lim holding up the spanking new team jersey! Woot Woot!
At the Renaissance Hotel in Makati while waiting for our room assignments, Singapore Slingers General Manager Michael Johnson and I got acquainted. The Slingers were champions of the Brunei Cup 2008 and Michael expresses his disappointment following the cancellation of what is “the most anticipated regional basketball tournament” in the Brunei sports calendar. Up until this trip, I’ve not really followed basketball matches in Brunei much. My main game is badminton and when it comes to basketball, it’s more a solo thing for me which I can indulge in the comfort of my home (and catching some sun at the same time).
A Brunei Barracudas and Singapore Slingers physical moment before a joint interview session with ESPN and Nanyang Siang Pau journalist.
Vincent Lai, Assistant Editor of ESPN Start Sports interviewing the Barracudas from Brunei
Inside the ballroom leading up to the start of the official event, Norizah preps the boys about their stage performances
Nadzaty, Barraccudas team owner, shares a light hearted moment with Norizah
Remember Ben, when you walk up to the stage, this is how you stand!
The Brunei contingent: Nadzaty, Norizah, Benjamin, Xavier, Fabian and Hj Daud.
Thanks to Benjamin who video captured the event, I was able to get a quote by Dato Tony Fernandes "Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take NO for an answer"
Erick Thohir, SEABA President introduces Barracudas Team owner Nadzaty to guests and media
Sitted with Dato Tony Fernandes are Philippines Team Co-Owner Mr Antonio Cojuangco, SEABA President Erick Thohir and fellow team owners.
Light entertainment by local dancers at the Asean Basketball League official launching ceremony.
Capturing the spirit of athletics—with one circle more than the Olympics!
Dato Tony Fernandes adds the reality of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) to his list of glowing accolades. His "dare to dream" motto has brought phenomenal success to Air Asia and he is confident that ABL will enjoy similar success.
"Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take NO for an answer" Roger that, Tony!
Benjamin Lim and Xavier Leong sporting the yellow Barracudas jersey
We traveled in a small group so at some point in the journey we had gotten acquainted and comfortable with one another. In fact, the Brunei basketball community isn’t that big either so one way or another, we all known each other—I have a cousin and nephews who are avid players and compete in local tournaments—so when I mentioned a few names there was immediate association. Xavier, who was my seat neighbour on the trip on more than one occasion, is no exception and said being picked for ABL has been a dream come true for him. Having played basketball since young, he’s dreamt of playing in the big league and compete in major tournaments. This echoes the Chairman’s motto about turning dreams into reality and ABL is now a part of Xavier’s reality.
CEO of ABL, Kuhan Foo, looks on as Dato Tony Fernandes addresses questions from the press
ABL-2009-31
A deflated Nike ball autographed by LA Lakers No.24 Kobe Bryant. I shot this at Clark Airport while waiting for the check-in counters to open
The Barracudas: Welcomes Head Coach and 3 Asean Imports.
Team Barracudas BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Just a month away from their opening game in the inaugural ASEAN Basketball League, the Barracudas yesterday welcomed their head coach and trio of Filipino imports who arrived in Brunei determined to prove their worth to the first-ever professional team in Brunei Darussalam.
Coach Bong Ramos Headed by coach Bong Ramos, the threesome of Francis “Kiko” Adriano 6'2", Celedon “Don” Camaso 6'6" and Leonidez Avenido 6'2", have all had plenty of experience under their belt plying their trade in the top professional league in the Philippines, the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) and are now ready to lead the Barracudas to glory.
Present at the Brunei International Airport to welcome the quartet of Filipino talent were team owner Ms. Nadzaty Azma Azeez of Everwide Sports Company, team manager Ms. Norizah Harun-Taylor, assistant coach Mr. Wong Yee Chai as well as the Bruneian players on the Barracudas roster.
Ms. Nadzaty was delighted to have secured the services of the four Filipinos saying,
“We did a lot of research and homework in a short pace of time and the management is absolutely thrilled to have secured the services of three players who we believe will wow the Bruneian crowd with their ability and talent”.
Ms. Nadzaty and imports Avenido, Adriano and Camaso
“In addition, we have one of the most respected coaches in Coach Bong whose experience in the coaching at the top level in the Philippines will prove to be absolutely invaluable in ensuring that we not only have a competitive team now but also assisting in developing our local talent.”
”We hope to complete the line-up very shortly indeed and will introduce the names when we have made the final decision,” added team owner Ms. Nadzaty.
Official Team Logo Brunei’s Barracudas with the support and assistance from Tourism Brunei (MIPR), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Immigration and the National Registration Department, shall endeavor to promote professional sports in Brunei Darussalam in this high profile ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), being the first ever professional league in South East Asia.
The Barracudas will open their season away to one of the league favorites Singapore Slingers on October 11 before making the short trip to Kuala Lumpur to take on the KL Dragons just three days later.
The first chance for Brunei basketball enthusiasts to catch their team in action will be on October 18 against the KL Dragons also in a return match-up.
The Barracudas (PRESS RELEASE)
Bakit hinde na nakuha si Ian Saladaga sa PBA Draft? Ang lupit nito na maglaro sa PBL and Liga Pilipinas.
Sana naman eh maging maganda ang performance niya dito sa ASEAN Basketball League.
Gerwin Gaco - 6'3Originally Posted by new_player
Froilan Baguion - 5'8
Ian Coronel - 5'7
Neil Raneses - 6'3
Mark Andaya - 6'8
Hafer Mondragon - 6'3
Glenn Bolocon - 6'3
Ian Saladaga - 5'11
VJ Serois - 6'1
Try-outs:
Dino Daa - 6'1
Erwin Sta. Maria - 6'2
Edwin Asoro- 6'2
This team is going to get creamed in the ABL. That Indonesian team is not only tall but also experienced and if the Slingers routinely blow out our PBA teams by 30 pts just imagine how they will manhandle this team.
This is also a very short team. Our only hope is that we get A1 caliber imports to help us, but even then the Slingers will be the favorites and will likely come out as champs.
Just imagine the Slingers' best players are Singaporean-Australian Darren Ng (he plays shooting guard and stands a legit 6'4) and Korean American Eric Sandrin who is 6'10.
Does Mikee Romero know what he's getting himself into?
puro import yung slingers ,napanood namin dito sa SG . panis ang pba team natin pero indi naman **** binibigay lahat exhibition game lang naman.
nagtataka lang ako ,bat indi nagnanaturalize ang singapore since mayaman naman sila masyado..kulang lang sila ng local players hehe.
singapore is not a basketball crazy country but you're right if they want to they have more than enough resources to put together a good team, just look at their soccer team
i've seen the slingers in action against pba teams and i must say that we stand no chance against them. i doubt even if we play 100 percent that we can beat them, heck i even doubt if powerade team pilipinas can beat that team, they have what, three americans, 5 australians, a filipino (al vergara), a korean american, a sigaporean australian and 1 singaporean malay.
p.s. - btw, where do you stay in singapore? i live in the novena area, along thomson road.
meron bang TV coverage to? may schedule na ba?
ang nabasa ko strict ang naturalization process sa singapore.
You can check out the Slingers' roster at www.singaporeslingers.com
no it's not.
once you get permanent resident status, which you can already apply for if you've been living and working in singapore for at least 6 months, you just have to wait at least 5 years then you can apply for citizenship.
Rob Wainwraight signed for 6 months contract..
haha ..puro giant nga tsaka shooter din . shunfu area (near mary mount station )singapore is not a basketball crazy country but you're right if they want to they have more than enough resources to put together a good team, just look at their soccer team
i've seen the slingers in action against pba teams and i must say that we stand no chance against them. i doubt even if we play 100 percent that we can beat them, heck i even doubt if powerade team pilipinas can beat that team, they have what, three americans, 5 australians, a filipino (al vergara), a korean american, a sigaporean australian and 1 singaporean malay.
p.s. - btw, where do you stay in singapore? i live in the novena area, along thomson road.
kung gugustuhin lang siguro ng SG makukuha nila yung gusto nilang player ..
goodluck na lang sa patriots.
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