PROMISING player Joshua Munzon, a Fil-American, whose grand mother hails from Pampanga, may end up playing for the Pampanga Lanterns in the ongoing MPBL Datu Cup.
Munzon has been included in the line up by the Congressman Dong Gonzales-backed Lanterns even before the season started, but he has yet to play due to his prior commitments in other leagues.
Listed 6-foot-4, Munzon played for the Westports Malaysia Dragons in the ABL where he emerged as the best scorer, averaging 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He is currently part of the IECO Green Warriors team, the Philippines’ representative in the Asian League Terrific 12 Tournament in Macau.
Simon Mangio, team manager of the Pampanga Lanterns, confirmed to BusinessWorld that they are still in talks to bring Munzon to play in the MPBL as soon as he has finished his other commitments.
“His grand mother is Kapampangan. He and Congressman Dong met in the US and Congressman Dong was able to talk to the player as well and sees no problem playing for Pampanga as soon as his schedule permits it,” added Mangio.
According to Mangio, one of Munzon’s conditions is to allow him to play in the PBA D-League as well, and the team executive is now mulling the possibility of putting up a team there just to get his desired player.
Mangio said they would ask the MPBL Commissioner’s Office for the scheduling of measurement of Munzon as soon as they finalized the deal with the player. As soon Pampanga signs up Munzon, the next step is to have him measured and see if he will make the 6-foot-4 height limit.
Should Munzon crack the squad, he’ll be a welcome addition to the Lanterns team that is likely to miss the services of ex-pro Michael Juico, who injured his knee.
Pampanga is one among the new teams seeing action in the expanded season of the MPBL put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former league MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.
The team also tapped the services of current Blackwater coach Bong Ramos and Tonichi Yturri as consultants of the squad. — Rey Joble

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