Batangas City Embassy Chill
Batangas City Embassy Chill logo
LeagueMPBL
Filbasket (formerly)
Founded2018 (2018)
HistoryBatangas City Athletics (2018–2021)
MTrans Buracai de Laiya Batangas City Tanduay Athletics (2021)
Tanduay Rum Masters (2022)
Batangas City Embassy Chill (2022–present)
Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters (2023)
ArenaBatangas City Sports Coliseum
Batangas State University Gymnasium
LocationBatangas City, Batangas
Main sponsorTanduay Distillers[1][2]
Head coachPocholo Villanueva
ChampionshipsMPBL: 1 (2018)

The Batangas City Embassy Chill, also known as the Tanduay Rum Masters, is a professional basketball team based in Batangas City, Batangas. The team currently competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as one of six active teams based in the Calabarzon region, splitting their home games between Batangas City Sports Coliseum and Batangas State University Gymnasium.

The team joined in 2018 as one of the founding teams of the MPBL, backed by Tanduay Distillers as part of the beverage company's athletics program, having previously owned a team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team first went by the Batangas City Athletics before changing to Embassy Chill in 2022 to promote one of Tanduay's own products.

Batangas City currently has the second-highest all-time regular season winning percentage among active teams at .717, only behind the San Juan Knights. The team is also the only MPBL founding member to have never missed the playoffs.

History

Tanduay's prior involvement

Tanduay's involvement with basketball can be traced back to the Tanduay Rhum Masters that played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from 1975 to 1987 and again from 1999 to 2001.

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

2018–2020: Batangas City Athletics and first championship

In 2018, the Batangas City Athletics were founded as one of the league's ten charter teams. With a record of 8-1, Batangas City captured the league's best record and made it to the 2018 MPBL Rajah Cup Finals, where they beat the Muntinlupa Cagers, three games to one, to become the inaugural MPBL champions.[3]

In the 2018–19 season, Batangas City ended the season with a record of 13-10 to claim the second seed in the Southern Division. The team failed to defend their championship, after they lost to the Davao Occidental Tigers in the Division Finals in three games.

In the 2019–20 season, Batangas City made their third straight playoff appearance with a record of 19-11, but lost to the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in the First Round in three games.

2022–present: Batangas City Embassy Chill

The team opted out of the 2021 Invitational before returning in 2022, in which the team was renamed to Batangas City Embassy Chill. With a 17-4 record, the team made their fourth straight playoff appearance, once again making a run to the Division Finals, where they would once again fall to Zamboanga in three games.

For the 2023 Preseason Invitational, the team was temporarily renamed as the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters.

Filbasket

The team participated at the 2021 FilBasket Subic Championship as the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics.[4][5]

The team as the Tanduay Rum Masters committed to participate in the 2022 Filbasket season. which marked Tanduay's first involvement with Philippine professional basketball since the Tanduay Rhum Masters in the Philippine Basketball Association.[6][7]

Season-by-season records

This is a list of the last five seasons completed by Batangas City. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Batangas City Embassy Chill seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning percentage

SeasonGPWLPCTFinishPlayoffs
2018981.8891stMPBL champions, 3–1 (Muntinlupa)
2018–19251510.6002nd, SouthLost in Division Finals, 1–2 (Davao Occidental)
2019–20301911.6334th, SouthLost in First Round, 1–2 (Zamboanga)
202221174.8102nd, SouthLost in Division Finals, 1–2 (Zamboanga)
202328226.7862nd, SouthLost in Division Finals, 0–2 (Bacoor City)

Current roster

Batangas City Embassy Chill roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#POBNameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 1 Philippines Isit Jr., Carlos 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 1984–02–21
G 8 Philippines Oliva, Arturo 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Arellano
G 9 Philippines Villanueva, John Rey 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 1994–11–18 UPHSD
F/C 11 Philippines Octobre, Rhaffy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1992–01–27 Visayas
G 10 Philippines Lingganay, Rudy 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1986-08-15 UE
F 12 Philippines Lunor, Darwin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F 17 Philippines Ochea, Dawn 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Adamson
G/F 19 Philippines Arim, Oliver Neal 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Centro Escolar
F 20 Philippines Ablaza, Cedric 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) STI
G 21 Philippines Alarcon, VJ 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G 22 Philippines Hernandez, Levi 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1990–03–09 Arellano
C 24 Philippines Cruz, Mark Neil 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) José Rizal
C 26 Philippines Ambulodto, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1990–09–25 St. Clare
G 27 Philippines Importante, Vincent 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Adamson
G 37 Philippines Asuncion, Jaycee John 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) José Rizal
F 43 Philippines Apinan, Jeckster 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1987-01-09 José Rizal
G 45 Philippines Baloria, Juneric 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 1990–06–03 UPHSD
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Philippines Jay-R Aquino
  • Philippines Warren Capitan
  • Philippines John Mark Arenas
  • Philippines Dino Ponce Enrile
Team manager
  • Philippines
Legend
  • (EP) Ex-PBA
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • Injured Injured

Head coaches

Batangas City Embassy Chill head coaches
2018–present
# Name Start End Regular Season Playoffs Best Finish Achievements
GC W L Win% GC W L Win%
1 Mac Tan 2018 2019 16 10 6 .625 8 7 1 .875 Champion

Notable players

Batangas City Embassy Chill notable players
Player Position Tenure Awards All-Star
Val Acuña[8]2018–20191x Finals MVP (2018)—
Jhaymo Eguilos2018–2020—1 (2019)
Jeff Viernes2018–2020—2 (2019, 2020)
Cedric Ablaza20221x First Team (2022)1 (2022)
Jeckster Apinan2022–present1x All-MPBL Second Team (2023)1 (2023)
Mark Niel Cruz2022–present—1 (2023)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tanduay's MPBL stint hinges on grassroots development". The Philippine Star. February 6, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Tanduay Athletics joins MPBL, sets in motion grassroots program". Manila Bulletin. February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Batangas holds off Muntinlupa to win inaugural MPBL Championship". ABS-CBN News. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  4. ↑ Panerio, Jonas N. (November 8, 2021). "Rogado leads Mtrans Buracai De Laiya past Muntinlupa in Filbasket". Sunstar. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Former Batangas-Tanduay Athletics mentor to coach in FilBasket". Manila Times. October 14, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay drops hint of basketball comeback with Filbasket logo post". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay makes pro basketball return, joins new FilBasket season". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ Joble, Rey (January 31, 2018). "Ex-PBA players Acuña, Alvarez proving worth on Batangas in MPBL". Business World. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
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