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South Cotabato Warriors

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South Cotabato Warriors
2024 South Cotabato Warriors season
LeagueMVBA (2005–2008)
NBC (2007–2008)
Liga Pilipinas (2008–2011)
MPBL (2018–present)
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005) (first incarnation)
2018; 6 years ago (2018) (second incarnation)
HistoryGenSan MP PacMan Warriors
2005–2008
MP–GenSan Warriors
2008–2011
GenSan Warriors
2018–2023
South Cotabato Warriors
2024–present
ArenaLagao Gymnasium
Polomolok Gymnasium
LocationGeneral Santos, South Cotabato
Team colors     
Head coachElvis Tolentino

The South Cotabato Warriors are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of South Cotabato. The team currently competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of two teams based in the Soccsksargen region, the other team being the Sarangani Marlins. The team plays their home games at Lagao Gymnasium in General Santos.

The team's first incarnation began play in the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) as the GenSan MP PacMan Warriors from 2005 to 2008 while also playing in the National Basketball Conference (NBC) from 2007 to 2008. The team played in Liga Pilipinas from 2008 to 2011 as the MP–GenSan Warriors following the merger of the two former leagues.

In 2018, the team was revived as part of the MPBL's national expansion during the 2018–19 season. The team name was simplified as the GenSan Warriors, keeping the location identifier and moniker. In 2024, the team changed its location identifier from General Santos to South Cotabato, representing the entire province, not just the city.

History

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First incarnation (2005–2011)

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The team was founded in 2005 as the GenSan MP PacMan Warriors, originally as part of the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) and later the National Basketball Conference (NBC) in 2007. General Santos then became part of Liga Pilipinas in 2008 following the merger of both leagues and renamed to the MP–GenSan Warriors. Liga Pilipinas ceased opeartions in 2011, ending the team's first incarnation.

Second incarnation (2018–present)

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Logo of the GenSan Warriors used from 2022 until 2023.

The team was revived in 2018 as part of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's national expansion in the 2018–19 season, becoming the league's first representative from the Soccsksargen region.[1] Led by homegrown player Cris Masaglang, the team finished 4th in the South Division with 14–11 record. In the playoffs, the Warriors would be swept by the fifth-seeded Bacoor City Strikers in the First Round. General Santos then added Robby Celiz and John Raymundo into the roster for the 2019–20 MPBL season. Despite those additions and improving to 18–12, GenSan only finished seventh. Once again, the team was swept by second-seeded Bacoor City.[2]

Both Celiz and Raymundo would depart from the team before the 2022 season, while also adding Nikko Panganiban. Panganiban would be declared an all-star as the Warriors once again improved, going 15–6 and finishing 4th in the South. The team would unfortunately suffer its third straight first-round exit after losing in three games to the Mark Yee-led Bacolod Bingo Plus.[3] Panganiban would leave for San Juan, while the team added 2020 MVP John Wilson from the Pilipinas Super League's Davao Occidental Tigers. Alongside Wilson is Kyt Jimenez, coming off his rookie season with region rivals Sarangani.[4] The 2023 season would be the team's most successful as it stands, finishing 21–7, improving their record yet again and breaking into the top three in its division for the first time. Wilson and Jimenez were both declared all-stars while Masaglang would win the Homegrown Player of the Year award. That season also saw the team's first-ever playoff series win, beating the Muntinlupa Cagers in three games in the First Round before losing to the Batangas City Embassy Chill in three during the Division Semifinals.[5][6]

Heading into the 2024 season, the team will be without Jimenez, who was drafted and signed by the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA Season 48 draft. The Warriors also changed its location identifier to South Cotabato to represent the entire region.

Current roster

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South Cotabato Warriors roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 0 Charlesworth, Christian (FF) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F 1 Jamito, Jammer 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1990–09–01 St. Clare
F 2 Benson, AJ (FF) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) St. Benilde
G 3 Cosip, Jimuel (HG) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
G 4 Elorde, Nico 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 155 lb (70 kg) 1991–10–04 Ateneo
F 5 Rodriguez, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1983–05–05 PMI
F 7 Tolentino, Kyle Dominic (SGL) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Letran
G 9 Cruz, Mark 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) 150 lb (68 kg) 1992–07–27 Letran
C 10 Fajarito, Christian 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Letran
F 12 Dionisio, Marwin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) José Rizal
F 13 Mahaling, Delmar (HG) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Holy Trinity
F 14 Sorela, Michole 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) San Beda
G 15 Joson, Antonio Lorenzo 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) NU
F 18 Dumapig, Cris 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Southwestern-U
C 19 Sagulo, Ken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1995–05–19 Far Eastern
F 20 Cruz, Jervy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1986–09–09 UST
G/F 21 Acuña, Val 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1986–08–08 UE
C 25 Lantaya, Jimly (HG) 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
G 27 Landicho, Meylan (HG) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 1989–01–16 Holy Trinity
F/C 40 Apreku, Felix 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 1991–12–06 Letran
F/C 67 Pacquiao, Rene 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 1986–09–12 Southwestern-U
Head coach
  • Elvis Tolentino
Assistant coach(es)
  • Boying Diloy
  • John Eric Coronado
  • Peter Deligero
  • Jesus Ramon Pido
Team manager
  • Mermann Flores
Legend
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • (RS) Reserve player
  • Injured Injured
Updated as of: June 13, 2024

Head coaches

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# Name Term Ref.
1 Jesus Ramon Pido 2018–2019
2 Rich Alvarez 2019–20
3 Ronnie Dojillo 2021
4 Marlon Martin 2022
5 Jesus Ramon Pido 2023
6 Rich Alvarez 2023
7 Elvis Tolentino 2024

Notable players

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Individual award winners

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MPBL All-Star Day

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PBA players

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Other notable players

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Season-by-season records

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League champions
Division champions
Qualified for playoffs
Best regular season record
Season Regular season Playoffs
Division Finish GP W L PCT GB Stage Results
GenSan Warriors
2018–19
Datu Cup		 South 4th 25 14 11 .560 6 Division quarterfinals lost vs. Bacoor City, 0–2
2019–20
Lakan Season		 South 7th 30 18 12 .600 8 Division quarterfinals lost vs. Bacoor City, 0–2
2022 South 4th 21 15 6 .714 3 Division quarterfinals lost vs. Bacolod, 1–2
2023 South 3rd 28 21 7 .750 2 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals		 won vs. Muntinlupa, 2–1
lost vs. Batangas City, 1–2
South Cotabato Warriors
2024 South 6th 28 17 11 .607 4 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals		 won vs. Biñan, 2–1
lost vs. Batangas City, 1–2
All-time regular season record 132 85 47 .644 5 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record 19 7 12 .368 0 finals appearances
All-time overall record 151 92 59 .609 0 championships

References

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  1. ^ Luarca, Roy (June 12, 2018). "MPBL: Expansion teams, new faces and stars headline Datu Cup curtain-raiser". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  2. ^ "Bacoor Strikers rip GenSan with Pacquiao watching to move on cusp of MPBL semis". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  3. ^ Co, Adrian Stewart (November 7, 2022). "Bacolod edges GenSan, enters MPBL south semis". Panay News. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  4. ^ "Jervy Cruz joins Kyt Jimenez at GenSan Warriors in MPBL". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "GenSan trounces Muntinlupa, tackles Batangas in semifinals". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "MPBL: Batangas ousts GenSan, sets up rematch with Bacoor in South finals". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
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