The Iligan City Archangels proudly pose for the camera as they prepare for the May 30 tipoff of the Mindanao leg of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup. | Photo from VisMin Super Cup Media Bureau.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—- The Iligan City Archangels will display youth in their official roster for the May 30 tipoff of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao leg.
12 of the 13 players of the Archangels that comprise their official roster are proud sons of Iligan City.
In most teams, including the six that vied in the Visayas leg earlier this month in Alcantara, south Cebu, only fielded in two to three homegrown players. The rest of the roster is a combination of players from the collegiate teams, PBA and MPBL.
According to Iligan team manager Amador Baller, Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia made sure to have an all-homegrown squad so that the province’s youth will be able to relate with the team.
“Iligan is very active in sports. It’s part of our campaigns here that will encourage the youth to get into sports and not into drugs,” said Baller, who is also the sports coordinator for the province.
“We also have programs for the grassroots. It’s the point of Mayor to help them not be involved in bad vices.”
The player to look out for in the Archangels roster is 6-foot-2 swingman Jericho Montecalvo, who at just 20 years old will be the youngest player in the competition.
Back in 2019, Montecalvo powered Southern Philippines College of Cagayan de Oro to the Sweet 16 of the Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals. He then transferred to the University of the East in Manila afterwards, posting averages of 8.92 points, 5.77 rebounds, and 1.23 assists during the UAAP Season 82 High School Boys’ Basketball tournament.
With him obtaining a special guest license (SGL) from the Games and Amusements Board, he will no longer be eligible to play in the UAAP.
Three other guest players were tapped by the Archangels are former University of Cebu (UC) Webmaster Kyle Ordeniza, La Salle Academy’s Algeroh Benitez, and Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtor’s Lester Tamayo.
Tamayo applied for an SGL so that he can still keep his amateur status when he returns to the Realtors for the 2021 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Mumbaki Cup.
GAB allows teams to have amateur players with SGLs for as long as it will not be more than 33-percent (1/3) of the total number of players in the team. Moreover, all amateur players with SGL in a professional team shall not be allowed to play simultaneously in the court.
The team’s head coaching job will be helmed by La Salle Iligan’s head coach Dane Lariosa.
The rest of the team is comprised of Edcor Marata, John Rabe, Roldan Piñas, Kenneth Ardiente, Dave Tagolimot, Philip Reyes, Harold Suarez, Magic Marata, and Johari Andor.
“We expect them to perform well in the upcoming tournament,” said Baller.
“Some of our players played in the MPBL while others are varsity players in known universities. Almost the entire team are from Iligan. We got them so that the kids will look up to them.”
Iligan has been training under a full bubble set-up at St. Michael College to prepare against nine other teams vyig for the Mindanao leg title.
The champion of the Mindanao leg will face the Visayas leg champion, the KCS Computer Specialists-Mandaue City in August to determine the overall champion of the first pro basketball league in the south.
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