ONCE denied of a seat in the PBA board for independent team Converge, Pampanga Governor Dennis 'Delta' Pineda is about to expand his horizon as a basketball patron.
Sources told SPIN.ph that Delta Pineda, who recently led the Pampanga Giant Lanterns to a maiden MPBL national championship, is set to become the major backer of the Letran Knights' basketball program in the NCAA.
READ Pampanga Giant Lanterns beat Strikers in Bacoor to win first MPBL title
If a deal is clinched, Pineda is expected to boost the Knights' talent pool with the best of his discoveries in Pampanga, a province which has arguably the best basketball development program in the country right now.
“Si Gov na ang bagong godfather ng Letran. Ang initial plan n'ya is lahat ng magagaling na makukuha n'yang player sa Pampanga at sa ibang lugar, ibabato n'ya agad sa Letran,” said a source who requested anonymity.
Before winning an MPBL championship as the Giant Lanterns' coach, Pineda collected titles in the NBL (3 conferences), Chooks-to-Go Chairman’s Cup, Pilipinas Super League 21-under and a slew of other regional leagues.
The Pampanga governor previously had the same relationship with the San Sebastian Stags while one of his top players, Justine Baltazar, ended up playing for NU in high school and the La Salle Green Archers in college.
Currently, Pineda’s deadly shooter at Pampanga, Kurt Rayson, is among the stars at Letran.
Since San Miguel pulled out its support of the Letran program, Letran, under Rensy Bajar, slumped all the way to ninth place with only two wins in 18 games.
Bacoor City Mayor Strike Revilla, whose Strikers the Giant Lanterns of Pineda beat in the finals of the last MPBL Season, has been the Knights' biggest backer since the pullout of the San Miguel support.
However, sources said Revilla's partnership with Letran has come to an end.
Will Pineda step in?
“Gov Pineda can give work his Midas touch at Letran," said a source close to the Pampanga governor. "He is no longer interested in his PBA bid, instead he wants to focus on making other leagues stronger with his presence."
Interestingly, news of Pineda's entry in the Letran camp comes amid talk that former Knights backer San Miguel, through sports director Alfrancis Chua, is shifting its support to the Perpetual Altas program.
“Ang daming mga bagong players ni Delta (Pineda) ang naka-line-up na pwede nya ibato sa Letran, may mga malalaki na parang si Kevin Quiambao, karamihan nakita n'ya sa mga ligang labas,” said a source.
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