CURRENTLY one of the toughest and most aggressive teams in the MPBL, are the Abra Solid North Weavers ready to make the jump to the PBA?
Abra has one of the most stacked rosters in the MPBL this season and is currently at the top of the standings with an impressive 18-1 win-loss slate, which they share with recent victim the Nueva Ecija Megabet Rice Vanguards.
Among the MPBL blue-chip players in the Abra roster are Dave Ildefonso, two-time league champion Encho Serrano, former Gilas Pilipinas big man Geo Chiu, former league MVP Mike Ayonayon, UAAP 3x3 MVP CJ Austria, former Arellano sniper Marwin Taywan, and PBA rookie prospect Jason Brickman.
READ What's Yeng Guiao doing in Cebu Greats practice?
So deep is the lineup of the Weavers that PBA veterans and MPBL standouts Mark Yee and Leo Najorda are on their reserve list.
So we asked Abra team owner and the province's lone House Rep. JB Bernos, ‘Are they setting their sights on the PBA?’
“Actually, marami humihimok sa akin to join the PBA. Kasi sabi nga nila, we are a kind of team na talagang ayaw matalo at dedicated to winning. Kumbaga, sabi nila, PBA is the ultimate when it comes to Philippine basketball,” Bernos told SPIN.ph.
“Pero sa ngayon, siguro, focus muna kami sa regional. Iba ang feeling ng dala mo ang pangalan ng probinsya mo. Saka if mag-PBA kami, anong product dadalhin ko? Dito kasi sa MPBL, dala namin ang Abra, tapos ang dami kong mga kaibigang businessmen sa lugar namin ang nagchi-chip in to finance the team,” he said.
“Sa PBA, kailangan kong mag-ipon ng marami pang mayayaman na kaibigan para makasabay,” added the North Luzon sports patron.
Bernos did not deny close ties with a PBA team governor, but he insisted there are no talks on the acquisition of a PBA franchise.
“Madalas ko siyang binibiro sa team, pero syempre joke lang yun," Bernos said.
But can he form a competitive line-up?
“Tingin ko, with how my team officials are doing wonders for the Weavers, kaya naming sumabay sa PBA. Kasi magagaling ang coaching staff and management ko sa team. They have the eye for talent,” he said, rattling off names of coach Yong Garcia, team manager Chris Conwi, and Northern Luzon scout Waylon Nibaten.
“Kita mo naman ang Weavers, in just our second year, a lot of people are already tipping us to be title contenders. Kaso para sa amin, one game at a time, mahirap magtaas ng expectations,” said Bernos, who is also the founder of the Solid North Partylist.
Bernos, however, admits a move to the PBA isn't feasible at this time.
“Sa akin ngayon ha. Kasi wala naman ako company na hawak, tapos umaasa ako sa mga kaibigan ko from Northern Luzon na mga businessmen to help me support this team, ako MPBL. Kasi iba ang crowd dun, iba ang support, may instant following eh,” he said.
“Pero syempre, in terms of prestige and recognition. Iba pa rin ang PBA. Kung pag-uusapan mo creme de la creme ng basketball, PBA yun,” he said.
READ Hope for Dave Ildefonso finally coming to terms with NorthPort?
“Lilipat ba ko ng PBA? Ewan ko sa ngayon. Happy ako sa MPBL, pero who knows? Sino ba mag-aakala na a few years ago, wala naman ako team na professional. Puro ligang Abra lang ako nun. We’ll see. Tignan natin,” he said.
For now, Bernos stressed that the success of Abra in the MPBL reflects the resilience and growth of their small province, something that inspires his constituents to support his drive for province-building.
“Alam nyo naman po maliit lang ang province namin, landlocked pa. Kaya sa pamamagitan ng sports, makilala kami and magtuloy-tuloy ang pasok ng mga investors at opportunities sa bayan namin.
"Yan ang nakikita kong bunga ng mga ginagawa namin sa sports lalo na sa MPBL,” he said.
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.
