MANILA – After six years, Ilonggo guard Billy Ray Robles is making his way back to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was signed up by the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.
The Estancia, Iloilo native has come to terms with the Fuel Masters on Wednesday and will be good to go when the 2021-2022 PBA Governors’ Cup restarts today.
This will be the 29-year-old Robles’ second stint in the professional basketball league after playing for a season with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in 2016.
The arrival of Robles is a welcome development on the part of Fuel Masters, which lost veteran guard Chris Banchero to the Meralco Bolts earlier this month.
Before his PBA return, the 5-foot-10 Robles was a standout for the one-time Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League champions Davao Occidental-Cocolife Tigers.
Robles, known as “The Ilonggo Superman” in the MPBL, has decent averages of 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks per contest for Davao.
Before taking his talents to Manila, Robles became one of the key players in the varsity team of the Northern Iloilo City Polytechnic State College. He has also won several titles and MVPs while playing in small leagues in Iloilo.
“Maliit pa lang ako mahilig na talaga ako sa basketball,” said Robles. “Kaya sumasali rin ako sa mga paliga dito sa Iloilo at minsan nagcha-champion naman at nakakapag uwi ng MVP award.”
“Nacha-challenge ako kasi dati sa Iloilo lagi akong sinasabihan (nung mas matatangkad sa akin) na maliit ako kaya wala akong panama sa kanila kaya pinag iigihan ko talaga,” said Robles.
Robles and the Fuel Masters currently has 3-2 win-loss slate in the 2021-2022 PBA Governors’ Cup./PN
