TEAM reunions seem to be the norm these days.
Members of sister teams Blu Detergent and Shark Energy Drink are set for a get-together game next month as the franchise celebrates its silver anniversary.
Blu-Shark reunion game set
Team owner Dioceldo Sy is now in the process of recalling players who suited up for both teams, which once dominated the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).
To give the gathering a nostalgic feel, former PBL commissioners Yeng Guiao and Chino Trinidad have been invited to be part of the reunion game tentatively set for a late June calendar in San Juan.
Guiao and Trinidad were commissioners when Blu and Shark entered the league, respectively.
A casual brainstorming was initially set Monday night at the Gloria Maris in Greenhills attended by Sy, Guiao, Trinidad, Blackwater governor and former Blu team manager Siliman Sy, PBA great Atoy Co, two-time boxing champion Gerry Penalosa, and former Blu players Aris Dimaunahan and PBA MVP Asi Taulava.
Blu made its debut in local basketball scene during the 1997 VisMin Cup, a pocket tournament during the PBL off season that featured mostly Fil-Am players from the Bay Area led by Taulava, Rob Duat, and a young Jimmy Alapag.
Sy was already conceptualizing gathering the team’s former players in 2022 for its 25th year anniversary, but didn’t push through owing to the pandemic.
The recent reunion between Toyota and Crispa and the 50th golden anniversary of the Tamaraws eventually convinced the Blackwater team owner to finally hold the get-together this year.
“I think this is the right time now to hold the reunion and remember the teams’ good old days in the PBL,” said Sy. “We’re now in the process of collating names of our past players to join us on this memorable event.”
Some of the former players who suited up for Blu and Shark include Enrico Villanueva, Roger Yap, Wesley Gonzales, Willie Wilson, Warren Ybanez, Egay Billones, Topex Robinson, Rysal Castro, Chester Tolomia, Irvin Sotto, Gilbert Malabanan, Pat Aquino, Rolly Basilides, Arnel Manalac, Dexter Racho, Marlon Legaspi, Lou Gatumbato, Ramon Talaga, Mel Latoreno, and now San Juan City mayor Francis Zamora, to name a few.
Coaches Leo Austria and Leo Isaac will also be invited to handle each team during the exhibition match.
Austria steered Shark to two championships and was best remembered for its memorable rivalry with Welcoat Paints.
Blu never won a title but made the finals a couple of times.
Sy is eyeing Co, the former PBA MVP and Crispa legend, to supervise the game being the commissioner of the UNTV Cup, while Penalosa is tasked to talk to fellow boxing legend Manny Pacquiao to play as a special guest.
“Manny Pacquiao once served as conditioning coach of Asi at a time Taulava was still with Blu and Manny just starting to make a name for himself in boxing,” Sy recalled.
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