You never say never in the small world of Philippine basketball.
Reigning Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Ato Badolato Coach of the Year Jerson Cabiltes has been tapped by Nueva Ecija to be the head coach of its team in the upcoming Filbasket tournament.
It’s a surprising move since Cabiltes was the head coach of the Jumbo Plastic-Basilan team that defeated the Nueva Ecija team in the epic Chooks-to-Go MPBL Invitational finale last December.
According to Cabiltes, he had always been in touch with Nueva Ecija team owner Bong Cuevas. However, it is only now that he was only able to say yes to Cuevas.
“We were in talks for a long time nila Boss Bong and Boss Ivan [Cuevas] pero hindi lang nag-materialize because may team ako nun and may team siya nun sa MPBL,” Cabiltes shared to Tiebreaker Times.
“Nung naging available na ako, yun na but we never lost contact with each other.”
After the Invitational tournament, Cabiltes, his staff, and the players were free agents as the MPBL has yet to lay out its plans for its 2023 season.
It was Mayor Rianne Cuevas who really pursued Cabiltes to join her team.
“Siyempre, very happy because it’s another opportunity for some players, my staff, and ako mismo. Looking forward to the challenge kasi yung Nueva Ecija may winning tradition din sa basketball,” said Cabiltes.
“Hopefully, I can help the province win the championship in Filbasket.”
Though having the same owner, this Nueva Ecija team is not the same as the one in the MPBL.
Cabiltes’ team will not carry the Rice Vanguards banner and will instead be called the Agri Heroes. This would also mean that Carlo Tan and his staff will still call the shots for the Rice Vanguards once the MPBL returns.
The decorated head coach though has yet to reveal the final lineup of the Agri Heroes but sources have said that it will be a combination of the core of the two teams that met in the MPBL final.
Cabiltes though knows that there will be pressure on him after leading Basilan to the VisMin Super Cup and MPBL crowns and, as well as, steering Manila AICC to the first-ever FilBasket championship.
Angela Davocol/Filbasket
The young head coach out of La Salle knows this and he expects his players to work double-time before the tournament tips off on March 15.
“Kailangan namin pagsikapan and I’m really looking forward to the challenge sa Filbasket, lalo na may international teams na lalaro.”
