MBA to don RP colors

For the fourth straight year, the Metropolitan Basketball Association will carry the national colors in the Jones Cup basketball championship scheduled to be held July 13 to 24 in Taipei.

This was announced yesterday by Butch Maniego, the MBA assistant commissioner and director for basketball operations, during the PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Manila.

"We will never turn down an opportunity like this and so the MBA has agreed to it," said Maniego, adding that an MBA selection will be formed for the event last won by the RP Centennial team in 1998.

For the last three years, the MBA has tapped an intact team for the event with the Laguna Lakers seeing action in 1999 and 2001 and the Iloilo Megavoltz competing in 2000.

None of the MBA teams have produced the championship, forcing league officials to consider the sending of an MBA selection. Iloilo’s stint was marred by an ugly on-court brawl against host Taipei.

"Our first move is to name the coach and his assistants for them to pick the 12 players before we hold the MBA All-Star Game on July 6," said Maniego. "We will put our best foot forward."