WAS it only years back when the Pampanga Dragons emerged as the first-ever national champion of the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA).
Well, what do you know, the members of that history-making team just celebrated the silver anniversary of that memorable championship in 1998 over the weekend.
The core of the Dragons led by Ato Agustin and team manager Gil Cortez led the celebration held at the Sixty Four Resto Bar, Vista Mall in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Silver anniversary
“Twenty five years na pala. Parang kalian lang,” said Agustin, now a deputy coach at San Miguel, who was the star player of the Dragons during the inaugural season of the regional, home-and-away league.
“Twenty five years hasn’t diminished the extraordinary brotherhood of these group that has really bonded like family then,” said Cortez, the first-ever PBA Rookie of the Year, who was responsible for bringing the team together in 1998 and now in 2023.
Agustin led the players in attendance along with Long David, Eric Gascon, Udoy Belmonte, Lester Del Rosario, Norman Gonzales, Nonoy Pido, Ariel Garcia, Billy Bansil, Willy Mejia, and Rolof Liangco.
Missed were members of the team who are now based overseas, including Ato Morano, Bryant Punzalan, Andy De Guzman, Dave Bautista, and assistant coach Romy Lopez.
Gherome Ejercito was also on a US trip when the reunion was held, along with team owner Anton Gonzales.
But all of them sent video greetings to be in spirit with the special celebration.
A video tribute was presented in memory of Pampanga’s late beloved coach Aric Del Rosario and the journey taken by the team on its way to the Promised Land.
The reunion also served as a belated birthday party for Cortez and came four days before the 452nd founding anniversary of the province of Pampanga.
The Dragons were hailed the first MBA national champions when they defeated the Negros Slashers in the title series, 4-1, including the championship-clinching game, 89-85, before an overflow crowd at the San Fernando Sports Complex.
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