MERALCO has been tasked to represent the Philippines in the Basketball Champions League Asia. As the name suggests, the Bolts will be facing champion teams in the continent in the tournament organized by FIBA.
The BCL Asia was once called as the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, and, even way before that, the ABC Champions Cup and the Asian Basketball Club Championship when FIBA Asia still go by Asian Basketball Confederation. This isn’t the first time that the Bolts will play in the tournament, having played in 2018 and finishing in fourth place, missing a podium finish after a defeat to the Seoul SK Knights.
READ Meralco Bolts to represent PBA in Champions League Asia
Prior to Meralco’s participation, the Philippines has achieved success in those times which the Bolts will be looking to defend.
Here were the four times that a Philippine club won the tournament:
1984: NORTHERN CONSOLIDATED
The Northern Consolidated-team backed Philippine team famously won the Jones Cup during the 1980s, but it was also crowned as the Asian Basketball Club Championship titlist in 1984 in Ipoh, Malaysia when it defeated China’s Bayi Rockets, 82-56. By winning the crown, Northern Cement earned the right to play in the 1985 Intercontinental Cup where they claimed one victory over Banco Di Roma Virtus. Notable names of that club, of course, were Dennis Still, Jeff Moore, Chip Engelland, Samboy Lim, and Hector Calma.
1988: SWIFT-PABL
In 1988, the Philippine Amateur Basketball League brought Swift to the Asian Basketball Club Championship. The team coached by Nat Canson had some of the future superstars of Philippine basketball in Alvin Patrimonio, Ato Agustin, Nelson Asaytono, and Bong Alvarez. They swept the competition by winning seven games, including an 84-69 win over China’s Liaoning in the title game in Jakarta.
1995: ANDOK’S
Led by Bobby Parks and ex-Ginebra import Alex Coles, Andok’s swept all six games that also included a 101-82 victory over Petronas Malaysia in the final. A notable player from that squad is Leo Austria, now the head coach of San Miguel.
1996: HAPEE TOOTHPASTE
Out to defend the Philippines’ crown on home turf, Hapee Toothpaste made sure to have the best reinforcements by tapping Tony Harris and Bobby Parks. The Cavity Fighters won six games including a 77-74 victory over Japan’s Isuzu Lynx in the title clash in front of home fans at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Harris had 41 points, while Parks added 18 in the final game. Austria was also part of that championship squad that made it back-to-back titles for the country.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
