MANILA – Nineteen players who traced their roots from Western Visayas are rostered in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, which will kick off this Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Among the 19 Region 6-based players, five are from Negros Occidental towns, five others from Iloilo, four from Bacolod City, three from Aklan, one from Capiz, and another one from Antique.
NorthPort Batang Pier has the most number of Region 6 players with three in San Miguel, Iloilo-native Juan Paolo Taha, Iloilo City’s Paul Zamar and Bacolod City’s Jeffrei Chan.
TNT Tropang Giga also has three Western Visayas-based players in Bacolodnons Kib Montalbo and Justin Chua (on injured list), and Manapla, Negros Occidental-native Paul Varilla.
Meralco Bolts has two in Ilonggo Antonio Jose Caram and Pontevedra, Negros Occidental-native Raymar Jose, while Rain or Shine Elasto Painters also has two in Escalante City, Negros Occidental-native James Yap and Capiznon Mac Belo.
NLEX Road Warriors, for their part, also has two in Aklanon Kris Rosales and Ilonggo Clint Doliguez, as San Miguel Beermen also has two in Bacolod City-native Siverino Baclao and Ilonggo Jericho Cruz.
Terrafirma Dyip also has two in Silay City, Negros Occidental’s John Paul Calvo and Aklanon Andreas Cahilig, while Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters has Bago City-native Raul Soyud and Antiqueño Tzaddy Rangel.
Converge FiberXers, for their part, has one Western Visayas-based player in Aklanon Keith Zaldivar, who transferred to the squad from Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots recently.
There are some notable Region 6-based players who were not rostered in Bacolodnon Reynel Hugnatan, who is now part of Bolts’ coaching staff, as well as Estancia, Iloilo’s Billy Ray Robles, who is now with Makati in the MPBL.
The PBA Season 48 will kick off with the matchup between the Tropang Giga and the Hotshots on Sunday night, after the PBA Season 47 Leo Awards./PN
