RUDY LINGGANAY and Roider Cabrera did not last longer than four years playing in the PBA, but they found themselves a new home playing and leading the Cars Unlimited-FEU NRMF, which is composed of top collegiate players seeing action in the Marikina City Basketball League (MCBL).

MCBL logoCoached by ex-PBA player BJ Manalo, Cars Unlimited-FEU NRMF has won eight games in a row in the MCBL to lead the pack.

The team is composed of crack collegiate imports like Joel Brokenbrough and Jamal Thomas and mainstays Tata Bautista and Ralph Olivares.

But what made Cars Unlimited-FEU NRMF more formidable was the inclusion of reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player CJ Perez and his partner, Mike Nzeusseu, from the Lyceum Pirates, putting the team in a good position to make a championship run.

Co-team owner Mark Young told BusinessWorld that the team’s vision is to form a competitive squad out there.

“Fans love to see a team that is competitive,” said Mr. Young. “You want to get players whom you believe can help out in your vision of winning.”

Messrs. Perez and Nzeusseu are two key players of the Lyceum Pirates squad that went all the way to finish undefeated in the double round elimination before being defeated by the more experienced San Beda Red Lions in the finals series.

In the MCBL, the NCAA rivalry between Mr. Nzeusseu and Donald Tankoua, the newly acquired reinforcement of Hobe Macway, will be renewed.

Tournament Commissioner Cris Bautista said that the competitive matches, the quality of players and the fun games they’ve been providing the ticket holders are the main reasons why fans continue to pack the games, which has been filled to the rafters for almost every game day.

Aside from Cars Unlimited-FEU NRMF and Hobe Macway, teams like NLEX-SCTEX, and R. Lapid’s-Tito Rex, and L&J Spa, which have all already secured quarterfinal berths, are considered formidable squads capable of beating any team at any given day. — Rey Joble

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