2 guest teams to boost PBL Cup

The Philippine Basketball League board yesterday approved the inclusion of Cebuana Lhuillier-Pera Padala and Mail and More as guest teams for the season-opening PBL Silver Cup firing off Nov. 11.

The return of the Cebu-based Cebuana Lhuillier to the PBL fold is expected to further boost the popularity of the country’s premier amateur basketball league, the team being one of the pillars of amateur basketball in the south.

Mail and More, on the other hand, hopes to build a competitive team even as it vows to challenge the league’s established teams like Harbour Centre and Magnolia Ice Cream for PBL supremacy.

Mail and More is one of the firms under the Lina Group of Companies.

"Cebuana Lhuillier-Pera Padala and Mail and More are welcome additions to the family," said commissioner Chino Trinidad. "We are grateful to the owners and officials of the two squads for believing in our vision and goals in the league."

This marks the first time that Cebuana Lhuillier will be playing in the league after 20 years of absence with owner Jean Henri Lhuillier already excited with the prospects of pitting his team against the finest squads in Manila.

Boasting of talented players, Cebuana Lhuillier-Pera Padala hopes to serve notice of its bid early and at the same time re-trace its basketball history.

"We have a long and colorful history with the PBL when it was still known as the Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL). It is only fitting that we come back to basketball through the PBL," said Lhuillier

Mail and More, meantime, is eyeing to tap the services of some marquee players in the UAAP to form a fighting team.

Meantime, the league announced that the aspiring rookies will have until 12 noon today to submit their application forms for the Rookie Draft tomorrow.

Luigi Trillo will call the shots for Cebuana Lhuillier-Pera Padala while Lawrence Chongson will handle Mail and More.