Batangas City Embassy Chill

Batangas City Embassy Chill
Batangas City Embassy Chill
League	MPBL ; Filbasket (formerly)
Founded	2018
History	Batangas 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)
Arena	Batangas City Sports Coliseum ; Batangas State University Gymnasium
Location	Batangas City, Batangas
Main sponsor	Tanduay Distillers[1][2]
Head coach	Pocholo Villanueva
Championships	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, it is 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.

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]

Current roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	#	Name	Height	Weight	DOB (YYYY–MM–DD)	From
G	1	Isit Jr., Carlos	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)		1984–02–21
G	8	Oliva, Arturo	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)			Arellano
G	9	Villanueva, John Rey	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)		1994–11–18	UPHSD
F/C	11	Octobre, Rhaffy	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1992–01–27	Visayas
G	10	Lingganay, Rudy	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	1986-08-15	UE
F	12	Lunor, Darwin	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F	17	Ochea, Dawn	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	175 lb (79 kg)		Adamson
G/F	19	Arim, Oliver Neal	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)			Centro Escolar
F	20	Ablaza, Cedric	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)			STI
G	21	Alarcon, VJ	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G	22	Hernandez, Levi	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	1990–03–09	Arellano
C	24	Cruz, Mark Neil	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)			José Rizal
C	26	Ambulodto, John	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	1990–09–25	St. Clare
G	27	Importante, Vincent	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)			Adamson
G	37	Asuncion, Jaycee John	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)			José Rizal
F	43	Apinan, Jeckster	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	1987-01-09	José Rizal
G	45	Baloria, Juneric	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)		1990–06–03	UPHSD

Head coach

Pocholo Villanueva

Assistant coach(es)

Jay-R Aquino
Warren Capitan
John Mark Arenas
Dino Ponce Enrile

Team manager

Legend

(C) Team captain
(EP) Ex–PBA
(HG) Homegrown player
(FF) Filipino-foreigner player
(SGL) Special Guest License
Injured

Roster

Head coaches

Batangas City Embassy Chill head coaches
2018–present
#	Name	Start	End	Regular Season				Playoffs				Best Finish	Achievements
#	Name	Start	End	GC	W	L	Win%	GC	W	L	Win%	Best Finish	Achievements
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]		2018–2019	1x Finals MVP (2018)	—
Jhaymo Eguilos		2018–2020	—	1 (2019)
Jeff Viernes		2018–2020	—	2 (2019, 2020)
Cedric Ablaza		2022	1x First Team (2022)	1 (2022)
Jeckster Apinan		2022–present	—	1 (2023)
Mark Niel Cruz		2022–present	—	1 (2023)

Season-by-season records

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

Records as of 2023 MPBL season:

Season	Team name	Elimination round					Playoffs
Season	Team name	Division	Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
2018 Anta-Rajah Cup	Batangas City Athletics	None	1st/10	8	1	.889	Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals	won vs. Bataan, 2–0 won vs. Valenzuela, 2–0 won vs. Muntinlupa, 3–1
2018–19 Datu Cup		South	2nd/13	15	10	.565	First Round Division Semifinals Division Finals	won vs. Imus, 2–1 won vs. Zamboanga, 2–1 lost vs. Davao Occidental, 1–2
2019–20 Lakan Cup			4th/15	19	11	.633	First Round	lost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2
2022 Mumbaki Cup	Batangas City Embassy Chill		2nd/11	17	4	.810	First Round Division Semifinals Division Finals	won vs. Bacoor City, 2–1 won vs. Rizal, 2–0 lost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2
2023	Batangas City Embassy Chill		2nd/15	22	6	.786	First Round Division Semifinals	won vs. Imus, 2–0 TBD vs. General Santos, 0–0
Total elimination round				81	32	.717	4 playoff appearances
Total playoffs				20	10	.667	1 Finals appearance
Total franchise				101	42	.706	1 championship

Invitational records

Season	Team name	Elimination round					Playoffs
Season	Team name	Division	Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
2023	Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters	Group A	4th/4	1	2	.333	Did not qualify
Total elimination round				1	2	.333	0 playoff appearances
Total playoffs				0	0	–	0 Finals appearances
Total franchise				1	2	.333	0 championships

References

"Tanduay's MPBL stint hinges on grassroots development". The Philippine Star. February 6, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
"Tanduay Athletics joins MPBL, sets in motion grassroots program". Manila Bulletin. February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
"Batangas holds off Muntinlupa to win inaugural MPBL Championship". ABS-CBN News. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
Panerio, Jonas N. (November 8, 2021). "Rogado leads Mtrans Buracai De Laiya past Muntinlupa in Filbasket". Sunstar. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
"Former Batangas-Tanduay Athletics mentor to coach in FilBasket". Manila Times. October 14, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
Terrado, Reuben (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay drops hint of basketball comeback with Filbasket logo post". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
Saldajeno, Ivan (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay makes pro basketball return, joins new FilBasket season". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
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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[sponsor1-1] "Tanduay's MPBL stint hinges on grassroots development". The Philippine Star. February 6, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.

[sponsor2-2] "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.

[Batangas-8] Joble, Rey (January 31, 2018). "Ex-PBA players Acuña, Alvarez proving worth on Batangas in MPBL". Business World. Retrieved February 12, 2018.