Sunkist-PBL Unity Cup unfolds

The Philippine Basketball League ushers in its 21st season dubbed the Sunkist-PBL Unity Cup with an exciting pair of matches featuring two holdover teams and a couple of new ones at the San Juan Gym.

Hapee Toothpaste, formerly Dazz Dishwashing Liquid, takes on debuting Viva Mineral Water at 2 p.m. while Montana Pawnshop clashes with expansion squad Nutri-licious at 4 p.m.

Commissioner Chino Trinidad has invited San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito to grace the opening tip-off in the season-opening conference with a theme "PBL: 20 years and beyond."

"We hope this season would be a start of a new era in amateur basketball in the country," said Trinidad. "We hope to develop, tap and hone promising talents like what the PBL has been doing 20 years now."

Viva, a Cosmos franchise owned by San Miguel Corp., parades a young but promising team mostly from Far Eastern University with Coy Banal as coach. Incidentally, Banal will be up against his old team.

"Hindi naman siguro grudge match ito," said Banal. "In fact, I’m thankful to them (Lamoiyan Corp.) for the breaks they’ve given me."

Banal’s team is bannered by FEU standouts Mark Isip, Dennis Miranda, Don Yabut, Rhagnee Sinco and Cesar Catli with veterans Warren Ybanez, Joel Co, Jeff Napa, Jose de Guzman and Jason Misolas as supporting cast.

But Banal knows that the Water Force’s debut is not going to be easy. In fact, he expects a rude welcome from the Junel Baculi-mentored Teeth Sparklers, the 2002 Challenge Cup runners-up.

Aside from retaining Cyrus Baguio, Nino Gelig, Joel Dualan, Eugene Tan and Peter June Simon, Hapee has acquired Ateneo’s Rich Alvarez, Wesley Gonzales, Larry Fonacier and LA Tenorio.

Baculi, however, quickly downplayed their chances, saying: "For me it’s too early to say that we’re the favorites because I still have to see if we can gel together well."

Nutri-licious kept the core of the Cheeseball-Shark team led by Irvin Sotto, Nelbert Omolon, Ismael Junio and Efren Valdez.