Filbasket
The Filipino Basketball League, also known as Filbasket, is a professional basketball league founded in 2021 in the Philippines. Its first season was launched on October 28, 2021, featured eleven teams and ran for a period of 26 days. AICC Manila clinched the league title.
Current season, competition or edition: Filbasket International Championship | |
 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | Jai Reyes Buddy Encarnado |
| Inaugural season | Subic Championship (2021) |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country | Philippines Indonesia Malaysia Brunei |
| Continent | FIBA Asia (Asia) |
| Most recent champion(s) | Harimau Malaysia (Filbasket International Championship) |
| Most titles | AICC Manila Harimau Malaysia Nueva Ecija Capitals (1 title each) |
History
The Filipino Basketball League (Filbasket) was established by former UAAP college player Jai Reyes and Buddy Encarnado of the Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors in 2021.[1][2] It was founded as a means to provide a platform for basketball players whose careers were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic community quarantine measures. This includes players of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) which saw its 2019–20 season delayed due to COVID-19 measures. Hence many teams from the MPBL have joined the FilBasket, while not leaving the former, in a bid to play more competitive games.[2]
The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) of the Philippine government contends that Filbasket is a professional league and not an amateur league as the league organizers believe, hence the league falls under its jurisdiction.[3] The FilBasket organizers admitted that the long-term plan is for the league to become a professional league although it maintains that it will be an amateur league initially.[4] The dispute was reportedly resolved in October 2021, with FilBasket pushing through with its first tournament, the FilBasket Subic Championship.[3] Filbasket secured approval from SBMA and the IATF for a bubble tournament at the Subic Bay Gymnasium, in accordance to regulations for amateur leagues.[5]
The Filbasket Subic Championship concluded with AICC Manila being the winners. However the GAB issued a cease and desist order insisting that Filbasket is a professional league[6] and declared the tournament held last year as unlawful although it did not impose any further sanctions.[7]
Filbasket started the process of turning into a professional league recognized by the GAB on February 22, 2022.[8] By March 1, 2022, the league was already granted professional status by the GAB.[9] The league would hold its first professional tournament, the Filbasket Summer Championship, in early 2022.[10] It would also hold its first international tournament, the Filbasket International Championship in the latter part of the same year in Malaysia.[11]
Teams
Teams competed at the Filbasket International Championship (2022):
| Name | Locality | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Pegasus Brunei | Bandar Seri Begawan |  Brunei |
| Bumi Borneo | Pontianak, West Kalimantan |  Indonesia |
| Elang Pacific Caesar | Surabaya | |
| KL Aseel | Kuala Lumpur |  Malaysia |
| Harimau Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | |
| MBC Basketball Club | Malacca City | |
| BGC Builders | Taguig City |  Philippines |
| Pilipinas Aguilas | ||
| Shawarma Shack–Makabayan Warriors | Quezon City | |
| Singapore Adroit | Woodlands |  Singapore |
Venues
| Year | Tournament | Arena | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Filbasket Subic Championship | Subic Bay Gymnasium | Olongapo, Zambales |
| 2022 | Filbasket Summer Championship | San Jose Del Monte City Sports Complex Muntinlupa Sports Center SGS Stadium |
San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Muntinlupa Quezon City |
| Filbasket International Championship | MABA Stadium | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
Champions
| Teams | Win | Loss | Total | Edition(s) won | Edition(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AICC Manila | 1 | 0 | 1 | Subic (2021) | — |
| Nueva Ecija Capitals | 1 | 0 | 1 | Summer (2022) | — |
| Harimau Malaysia | 1 | 0 | 1 | International (2022) | — |
| San Juan Knights | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | Subic (2021), Summer (2022) |
| KL Aseel | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | International (2022) |
See also
References
- Joble, Rey (October 29, 2021). "Why FilBasket insists it is an amateur league". Manila Times. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- Joble, Rey (August 11, 2021). "Sta. Lucia joins FilBasket League". The Manila Times. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- Mendoza, Martin (October 25, 2021). "Filbasket clears up GAB issue, to push through with inaugural tournament". Rappler. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- Rosale, Dale (October 27, 2021). "FilBasket kicks off Thursday". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- Reyes, Kate (July 22, 2021). "Jai Reyes to formally open FilBasket this August". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- Navarro, June (November 23, 2021). "GAB issues cease and desist order vs Filbasket". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- Ramos, Gerry (January 14, 2022). "GAB fires warning after Filbasket's maiden tournament ruled 'unlawful'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- Li, Matthew (February 22, 2022). "Filbasket, Super League begin process of turning pro". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- "Pro status, new teams boost Filbasket ahead of second season". ABS-CBN News. March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- Li, Matthew (May 8, 2022). "Filbasket: Palma lifts Nueva Ecija to Summer Championship". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
- Terrado, Reuben (October 23, 2022). "Three Pinoy teams to play in Filbasket Int'l Championship in KL". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved October 23, 2022.