RP to carry Patriots in newly-formed ASEAN cage league

The Philippine squad that will compete in ASEAN Basketball League, the first regional professional tournament, will be known as the Patriots as a sign of their love for the country. This was announced Saturday by RP team businessmen Mikee Romero and Tony Boy Cojuangco after a series of consultations with various sectors on how best to improve the image for Filipino players in the international scene. “We’re very proud of our historical and cultural heritage, so we decided that we take Patriots as our moniker in the ABL," said Romero. “Just like what the great Ninoy Aquino said, ‘The Filipino is worth dying for.’" Several names were suggested during the “name the moniker contest" but the Patriots submitted by Bandera’s Mike Lee caught the attention of Cojuangco, Romero and Bobby Barreiro. The team’s logo will be formally unveiled on Tuesday which is also the launching of the league at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati. According to Cojuangco and Romero, team owners and representatives of the five other countries that will take part in the home-and-away tournament are also arriving. Cojuangco believes the league has great potential to become a “big thing" in the region since its primary aim is to produce an ASEAN basketball hero, create a new rivalry, and promote ASEAN brands in the market since basketball is acknowledged as the world’s second most popular sport – next to football. Aside from the Philippines, also taking part in the low-cost but high-quality basketball entertainment are Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and Singapore. Although the team has already picked several big name players, team manager Erick Arejola announced that it will hold another tryout next week to boost and finalize their line-up. The team, according to Arejola, is dead serious in resurrecting the PBA career of former most valuable player Johnny Abarrientos. Multi-titled Letran mentor Louie Alas will coach the RP team. – GMANews.TV