The defending Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League champions just got stronger.
Nueva Ecija beefed up its roster by adding four stalwarts, headlined by Roi Sumang.
Sumang is making his return to the Rice Vanguards after two years.
The 32-year-old guard out of Tondo spent the last two years with Northport, playing 37 games there.
(C) PBA Images
Last season, he put up averages of 8.78 points, 3.41 rebounds, and 4.38 assists per contest.
Now, he makes his return to Nueva Ecija, a team he led to the final of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Invitational Tournament.
Joining him is Kemark Carino and Sherwin Concepcion.
(C) Zamboanga Valientes
Carino, who stands at 6-foot-8, previously played for Marinerong Pilipino in the PBA D-League and Zamboanga MLV in the ABL.
Concepcion, meanwhile, was part of Cavitex in PBA 3×3. A native of Tarlac, he will be a homegrown player for the Rice Vanguards.
(C) MPBL
The final addition to the team is Orin Catacutan. The former UE winger was part of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3’s pool last year.
The quartet are expected to debut with Nueva Ecija on Friday against Quezon City at Bren Guiao Convention Center.
