Cagayan Rafters joins Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup tourney

Ginebra’s “Fast and the Furious” Mark Caguioa (47) and Jayjay Helterbrand (13) celebrate their win bringing them to the finals of one of the PBA conferences in 2016. |Inquirer file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cagayan De Oro (CDO) Rafters officially joined the inaugural Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Friday, February 26, 2021. 

CDO Rafters’ owner Mogs Gonzales and Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup’s COO Rocky Chan formally sealed their partnership via a contract signing. The Rafters serves as the newest addition in the Mindanao leg’s line-up of teams. There are now five teams in the Mindanao leg, the Zamboanga Valientes, Pagadian Explorers, Sindangan, Roxas Vanguards, and the Rafters.

The Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup’s secretary General Chelito Caro confirmed that 6-time PBA champion and former PBA MVP Jayjay Helterbrand will play for the Rafters along with former Nueva Ecija Miguard small forward JR Cawaling. 

Read: Alcantara to host Visayas leg of Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup

Helterbrand is best remembered as one of the best guards to ever play for the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. He was crowned PBA finals MVP in 2007 and back-to-back PBA Best Player of the Conference from 2008-2009. 

Cawaling, on the other hand, was drafted 30th overall in the PBA by the San Mig Coffee Mixers, now known as the Magnolia Hotshots. Cawaling also played for Blackwater Elite and Kia Carnival. 

The Visayas leg, meanwhile, fields in five teams for April 9’s tip-off in Alcantara town, Southwest Cebu that will be held in a bubble tournament. The teams are ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes, KCS Mandaue City Megabytes, XUR Homes Realty-Eastern Samar, Danao City, MJAS Zenith Talisay City Aquastars.

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Read: Champion coach Reyes considers team the underdog in VisMin Super Cup hoops