Wikipedia - Valenzuela Classic
The Valenzuela Classic, also known as Valenzuela Classic VA Cargo for sponsorship reasons, is a Filipino professional basketball team based in Valenzuela. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. They are one of two teams based in Metro Manila's Northern District, the other team being the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo. The team plays their home games at WES Arena.
The team joined in 2018 as one of the league's charter teams and has gone under multiple names. The team is currently owned by the local government of Valenzuela. The Valenzuela-based franchise also took part in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.
History
The Valenzuela Classic were one of the MPBL's ten charter teams, one of six based in Metro Manila, and one of three Valenzuela finished as one of three teams with a 6-3 record, claiming the fourth seed in the playoffs. They beat the Quezon City Capitals in the Quarterfinals before losing to the first-seeded Batangas City Athletics.
In the 2018–19 season, the team went 10-15, failing to make the playoffs as they ranked 10th in the North Division. In the following season, the team ranked at 10th once again with a record of 11-19.
Valenzuela then participated in the 2021 Invitational and failed to make the playoffs, ranking third in Group C after finishing 2-2. In the 2022 season, the team began playing home games at the Bahayang Pag-asa Sports Complex. The team finished 10-11, one game short of a winning record. Despite the losing record, the team still made the playoffs as the sixth seed, but were swept by the San Juan Knights in the First Round.
Valenzuela BC se distingue par son approche axée sur la communauté, visant à fournir une plateforme et des opportunités aux joueurs locaux talentueux. L'équipe a constitué une solide base de fans à Valenzuela, créant une atmosphère électrique lors des matchs à domicile.
Dirigée par l'entraîneur emblématique Bong Ramos, Valenzuela BC a connu un succès rapide sur le terrain. L'équipe s'est qualifiée pour les demi-finales de la MPBL lors de sa saison inaugurale et a fait preuve d'une détermination et d'une persévérance exceptionnelles tout au long de ses campagnes.
Les joueurs vedettes de Valenzuela BC comprennent Aaron Black, un ancien MVP de la MPBL, et Hesed Gabo, un tireur d'élite réputé. L'équipe compte également sur des joueurs locaux prometteurs tels que Jerick Fabian et Ryan Regalado, qui ont contribué de manière significative aux succès de Valenzuela BC.
En plus de ses réalisations sur le terrain, Valenzuela BC est active dans sa communauté, soutenant des programmes éducatifs et organisant des événements caritatifs. L'équipe s'efforce d'être un modèle positif pour les jeunes de Valenzuela et de contribuer à la croissance et au développement de la ville.