Guam – The Bud Light Philippine Amateur Basketball League kicked off it’s 2011 season this past weekend. This year the league boasts 7 varsity teams in the Men’s Open Division and promises to bring great competition this year.
National Office Guam will represent the defending champions this year and this season will be the test for the new team. Returning this season is MVP Stars and 2010 Most Valuable Player JP Cruz. The Stars were last year’s runner up and lost all three final series games within four points and are certainly seeking redemption.
The Bud Kings are also looking to redeem themselves. Last season the Kings went undefeated in the regular season only to get eliminated in the semi-finals. Like the Stars, they’re looking at nothing short of a title.
Andersen Bombers are returning this season after a two year absence. The Bombers have a new look with young players stepping onto the hardwood and could be the sleeper team this year.
A new team this year is Island Defenders. This team is mixed with local and military players and the height on the team will be their best game plan against the rest of the PABL field.
Docomo/DXL All Stars have selcted players from their Brother Hood Fraternity. The players on the All Stars have PABL experience and will have to see if the team can work well together considering most the of the players played against each other as opposed to with each other.
And last but not least, Big Navy Forties will return to the court. The Forties had trouble last season because they did not possess a deep roster. This time around Big Navy recruited more players to avoid getting winded towards the later part of the games.
The Women’s Division with feature the Pay-Less Women’s National Team, Fuetsa, Phoenix Sparks, Aloha Main and an unknown team that seems to possess a very strong line-up that might shake up the league.
Defending I-Connect will return in the masters division along with Circle K, Express signs, Harmon Dental Clinic, Team Justice and Umatac 76ers.
frankie@spbguam.com
