2018–19 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines season

The 2018–19 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines season was the inaugural season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

Initially under the Zamboanga Valientes banner, the team ended the 2018 calendar year with a 7–10 record. After the relaunch as the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines, the team would improve to a 12–13 record, claiming the South Division's sixth seed. Their division quarterfinals opponent was the third-seeded Muntinlupa Cagers, where despite losing the first game of the series, would win the next two to accomplish an upset win and advance to the division semifinals against the defending champion Batangas City Athletics. They would win the first game, but lost the next two games in opposing grounds.

Regular season

Standings

Schedule 2018–19 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines season schedule Game Date Opponent Score Location Record Recap 1 June 14 Laguna W 86–80 Alonte Sports Arena 1–0 2 June 23 Mandaluyong L 61–71 Imus City Sports Complex 1–1 3 July 4 Muntinlupa L 69–85 Marist School 1–2 4 July 16 Marikina W 87–80 Angeles University Foundation 2–2 5 July 26 Pasig W 92–78 Pasig Sports Center 3–2 6 August 8 Navotas W 89–78 Blue Eagle Gym 4–2 7 August 21 Rizal L 73–77 Pasig Sports Center 4–3 8 September 5 San Juan L 59–80 Filoil Flying V Centre 4–4 9 September 29 Parañaque L 58–68 Caloocan Sports Complex 4–5 10 October 6 Basilan W 94–80 University of San Jose–Recoletos 5–5 11 October 27 Manila L 59–60 Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum 5–6 12 November 7 Makati L 65–77 Ynares Center 5–7 13 November 15 Caloocan W 72–67 Strike Gymnasium 6–7 14 November 20 Davao Occidental L 68–93 Valenzuela Astrodome 6–8 15 November 27 Batangas City L 93–104 Batangas City Coliseum 6–9 16 December 8 Quezon City L 81–109 San Andres Sports Complex 6–10 17 December 22 Bulacan W 75–72 Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium 7–10 18 January 7 Bataan L 74–76 Bataan People's Center 7–11 19 January 17 Valenzuela W 79–71 Caloocan Sports Complex 8–11 20 January 30 General Santos L 69–78 Navotas Sports Complex 8–12 21 February 5 Pasay W 91–74 Cuneta Astrodome 9–12 22 February 18 Cebu City W 61–58 Marist School 10–12 23 February 23 Bacoor City W 72–63 Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum 11–12 24 March 4 Imus W 83–78 Strike Gymnasium 12–12 25 March 9 Pampanga L 85–87 Angeles University Foundation 12–13 Source: Schedule

Playoffs

Schedule 2019 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines playoffs schedule Round Game Date Opponent Score Location Series Recap Division quarterfinals 1 March 19 Muntinlupa L 78–89 Batangas City Coliseum 0–1 2 March 21 Muntinlupa W 84–73 Muntinlupa Sports Complex 1–1 3 March 25 Muntinlupa W 87–83 Batangas City Coliseum 2–1 Division semifinals 1 March 27 Batangas City W 72–58 Rizal Memorial Colleges 1–0 2 March 30 Batangas City L 57–67 Batangas City Coliseum 1–1 3 April 2 Batangas City L 72–80 Batangas City Coliseum 1–2 Source: Schedule

Split from the Valientes In December 2018, the team management announced that they would be splitting from the Zamboanga Valientes at the start of the 2019 calendar year, essentially making the MPBL side independent. According to operations head Nini Arquiza, undisclosed management issues is what caused the reshuffling and that the former management wanted the team to "go for the championship". The team would later be relaunched as the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines.

In the aftermath, the new franchise would make the playoffs in every season since the relaunch, even making the 2022 national finals, where they would lose to the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in four games. The Valientes continued to compete in other leagues such as the PBA 3x3 and the ASEAN Basketball League. In 2023, the Valientes would win in the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup's Open Championship.

References