PRESIDENTS, PIRATES, NUGGETS PLAY IN MBA
Manila, Feb. 9, 1998 - The Metropolitan Basketball Association will soon introduce new team names to Philippine sports fans. The names chosen by the teams reflect local peculiarities of the town, city or province a team represents.
The Davao Eagles comes from the monkey-eating eagle found in Mount Apo; Laguna Lakers is taken from Laguna's famous lake, Cebu Gems is named after the jewelry pawned with the pawnshops of the Lhuillier family that owns the team.
The Iloilo Volts is owned by a power company Solar Electric. Cagayan de Oro Nuggets play for a place with gold mines. Negros Slashers are named after the cockfighting and sugar industries. Pampanga's team is called Dragons, short for Mondragon, the company that owns the team and much of Clark Field.
Pangasinan Presidents play for the province of President Ramos and presidential bet Jose de Venecia. Batangas Blades is a team from a province famous for "balisong" or switchblades. Pasig Blue Pirates, from the pirates that roam the Pasig River.
From Metro Manila, region of stars in show business and politics, comes the team Metrostars, while the Marlins represent the Southern Cotabato, Saranggani and General Santos (SOCSARGEN) region, where marlins are caught commercially.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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