Batangas joins NBC cage tiff

Batangas has joined the National Basketball Conference (NBC), completing the North cast in the NBC national championship starting on May 22 in Baguio City and May 23 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Owned by Mayor Tita Reyes of Malvar, Batangas and businessman Bernie Maranan, the new NBC team will join Baguio City, Pampanga and Spring Cooking Oil-San Pablo in the North Conference.

Former Batangas Blades Ralph Rivera, Jayson and Jun Cuevas and Ariel de Castro will banner the team to be managed by Engineer Roel Galang with Genny Lat as his assistant.

Also playing for Batangas are homegrown talents Gilbert Neo, Chico Manabat, Totoy Gonzales, Jake Agliron and Ronnie Cajayon.

"We welcome the participation of Batangas, which used to be a tough contender in the defunct MBA," said NBC secretary general Tito Palma. "It’s (Batangas) entry makes the North series more interesting."

Meanwhile, Iloilo Basketball League president Robert Uy has moved back the Panasonic Cup pre-season tournament at the University of San Agustin gym by one day. The series will now start tomorrow and end on Sunday, May 9.

Vying in the Panasonic—Iloilo Invitational Cup are Spring Cooking Oil-SP Cagayan de Oro Stars, Cebu and the Iloilo All Stars.