By Jay R. Gotera
MANIL —As the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) begins its 42nd season this Sunday (Nov. 20), a lot of notable players have been cut by their respective teams, replaced by a new batch of rookies, including the new Gilas cadets.
Among the big names that will no longer be around are Eric Menk, Gary David, Mac Cardona, Dorian Pena, Samigue Eman, Josh Urbiztondo, and Jeric Teng.
Sunday’s opening game will feature San Miguel Beer going up against the new-look Star Hotshots as the PBA released Monday its schedule for the 2016-2017 Philippine Cup. The game will feature Paul Lee’s debut in Star against the powerhouse San Miguel Beer led once again by three-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo.
The regular double-header schedule starts on Nov. 23 when the Blackwater Elite, featuring Gilas top cadet star Mac Belo, take on the Phoenix Fuel Masters, before TNT KaTropa Texters go up against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
The Barangay Ginebra Kings, who won last season’s Governors’ Cup, begin their campaign on Nov. 27, against the Texters.
The highly anticipated “Manila Clasico” duel between the Kings and the Hotshots is scheduled on Dec. 25.
The 12 teams play a single elimination round, which runs until Jan. 29, before the top eight teams advance to the playoffs.
PBA officials expect a more exciting season ahead as there are now no clear favorites among teams with the many changes in the rosters of many of them.
“Almost all the teams now are on a level playing field, so I expect that this will be a great season again,” said new PBA Chairman Mikee Romero Monday.
During the off-season, struggling teams rebooted their lineups, with NLEX signing up coach Yeng Guiao, Star and Rain or Shine swapping franchise players in Lee and James Yap while cellar dweller Blackwater grabbed promising rookies.
Menk, nicknamed “Major Pain,” is the most notable of former PBA stars who will no longer see action on the court. The 6’6” Fil-Am banger won four league championships, was a 10-time All-Star, and was adjudged Best Player of the Conference and finals MVP three times. He was the 2004-05 MVP when he was still with Barangay Ginebra.
Still looking fit despite his age, Menk last played for Alaska and was part of the Aces’ back-to-back runner-up finishes during the Philippine and Governors Cups, respectively.
Also out of the PBA is David, nicknamed “El Granada,” one of the league’s top gunners in the league who was a scoring champion for four straight years (2010-14).
David was also a five-time All-Star and once reigned as the Best Player of the Conference during the 2011-12 Philippine Cup.
Also leaving the league is Cardona, an explosive scorer whose personal problems badly affected his game as part of NLEX. The former La Salle star was a five-time All-Star, a former Best Player of the Conference, a Mythical Team member, and a Finals MVP after steering TNT Katropa to the 2008-09 Philippine Cup championship.
Other notable players cut from the league are 2015 NCAA Finals MVP Mark Cruz, Juami Tiongson, Jerick Canada, Raph Reyes, Nico Elorde, Jaymo Equilos, Harold Arboleda, Josh Vanlandingham, Mark Isip, Jerwin Gaco, and Jai Reyes.
