PHILIPPINE basketball is likely to be represented by only one team in the East Asia Super League Home and Away Season 3 this October.
Sources told SPIN.ph that the Meralco Bolts have again been selected as the PBA rrepresentative in the regional tournament which announced the schedule of its coming games as well as its new format for the season on Monday.
The number of teams seeing action for the season has increased from 8 to 12. One slot has been given to the PBA but that team has yet to be officially named although Meralco is the likely rep.
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If that happens, the country will be represented for the first time by only one team while other nations in the region will have two in the league that began two years ago.
In their first two stints, the Bolts failed to make the Final Four both times.
San Miguel also competed in last season’s EASL, but played very poorly in the group stage where it emerged as the only one out of the 10-team field not to win a single game.
There were talks about Magnolia being the second PBA team, but the official schedule released by organizers showed only one slot has been reserved for the PBA.
Meralco will be in Group B along with the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (P. League+), Ryukyu Golden Kings (B. League), and the Macau Black Bears.
In Group A, reigning B. League champion Utsunomiya Brex is joined by the Taipei Fubon Braves (P.League+), Seoul SK Knights (Korean Basketball League), and Hong Kong Eastern.
Defending KBL champion Changwon LG Sakers lead Group C together with Alvark Tokyo (B. League), New Taipei Kings (Taiwan Professional Basketball League), and Xac Broncos (The League). - Gerry Ramos
This coach has big shoes to fill at Petro Gazz
WITH Koji Tsuzurabara gone, Petro Gazz is busy looking for his replacement as head coach.
SPIN.ph has learned that the Angels are leaning towards deputy coach Brian Esquibel
as new mentor for the defending PVL champions.
What is unclear, however, is whether he will serve at a permanent or interim capacity.
Esquibel joined Petro Gazz as one of Tsuzurabara’s deputies at the start of their title-winning 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference run last November.
READ Coach Koji on sudden exit: 'I have no confidence in Petro Gazz'
Prior to this, Esquibel was a former assistant coach at Chery Tiggo and also briefly called the shots for the defunct Foton team.
He is currently head coach of the Letran men’s volleyball team that won silver in NCAA Season 100.
With just one preseason win in four matches, Petro Gazz will close out the preliminary round of the 2025 PVL on Tour on Tuesday against Choco Mucho in Candon City.
Both teams, known as traditional playoff contenders, failed to secure outright quarterfinals spots and are set to be relegated to the knockout round starting later this week. - John Mark Garcia
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