Harbour Centre hopes to stretch title run

People's Journal
October 20, 2007

Harbour Centre owner Mikee Romero never ceases to make surprises in the composition of his team in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Two years ago, Romero, a member of La Salle varsity team in the 90s, made a casting coup when he took Ateneo’s LA Tenorio and Jeck Chia to play along side school rival La Salle’s Joseph Yeo.

The gambit paid off handsomely as Harbour Centre clinched its first-ever championship.

Then, they won the next conferences by using almost the same formula -- with now pro Chico Lanete and Jason Intal, Jason Castro and Beau Belga leading the team’s assault.

For the coming 2008 PBL V-Go Extreme Energy Dink Cup, which fires off today, the Batang Pier boast of glamorous players from UAAP teams -- La Salle, University of Santo Tomas, National University and Far Eastern University.

“They have all the potential to become big stars so we’re trying to help them build their confidence,” said Romero. “But they have to step up because we lost our top guns to the national team.”

With Castro, Belga, Jonathan Fernandez, Boyet Fernandez and Erick dela Cuesta on loan to the SEA Games-bound RP team, which is also being funded by Romero, all eyes will be on La Salle’s TY Tang and Rico Maierhofer.

Tang and Maierhofer, who steered the Archers to an improbable sweep of University of the East in the UAAP Finals, will have to play big time so that Harbour Centre will have another crack at the championship.

The Batang Pier are determined to match Stag-Tanduay’s four-straight championship in the league. They did the trick in the 90s.

The La Salle’s version of Mutt and Jeff will be joined by UST’s Dylan Ababou, June Dizon, Chester Taylor, Japs Cuan and Jonathan Janke, FEU’s Benedict Fernandez and Marlon Adolfo, and NU’s Joseph Lingao-Lingao and Edwin Asoro.

The other fresh faces in the team are Fil-Am Mercado Solomon, Joefersson Gonzales and Gilbert Malabanan. Holdovers of the team are Al Vergara, Allan Gamboa and Jerwin Gaco.

Romero, however, sees a wide open race for the championship since most of the league’s marquee players are with the RP team.

“It’s going to be a tall order for us because we lost our top players. Still, we’re going to try,” said Romero. “Coach Jorge (Gallent) is working hard to find the right formula for the team.”

But knowing Romero’s style, it's not surprising if he will have another surprise package this conference.