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New-look Basilan Steel unveiled

The Basilan Steel lineup for the upcoming MPBL season. Ivan Saldajeno

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY—Get set for a different kind of Steel.

On Wednesday, the MPBL squad representing Basilan revealed its new lineup for the coming 2019-2020 season in a special press conference at the Vagabonds Restaurant.

Looking to recover from a dismal debut that saw them crashing to the bottom of the Southern Division standings, the Steel went busy in the offseason, only keeping four holdovers.

Dennis Daa, Ar-Raouf Julkipli, Cris Dumapig, and Jhaps Bautista will look to lead the team being the only members from last season's roster that are staying.

Daa, however, has two other ex-PBA players to join him as Jonathan Uyloan and Mark Bringas were signed to the Jerson Cabiltes-mentored side.

Joining them are MPBL stars Jay Collado and Hesed Gabo, who both came from Quezon City, Bobby Balucanag, Shaq Alanes, and Jett Vidal, formerly of Pasay, and Michole Sorela, who played for Navotas last season.

Further bolstering the roster are collegiate stars Allyn Bulanadi, Irven Palencia, Junjie Hallare, Darin Lunor, Harold Ng, Mark Trinidad, and Philip Manalang.

The Steel will begin their season right on opening night on June 12 as they take on expansion club Bicol Volcanoes.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno