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| The Cavite Patriots are now building up for the new WMPBL. Ivan Saldajeno |
MANILA—Former UAAP players will lead the way for the Cavite Patriots in the upcoming WMPBL cagefest.
Former University of the Philippines stalwart Meng Jimenez, La Salle player Bernice Paraiso, and Far Eastern University star Jaina Del Prado headline the players who have already been called up to join the squad co-founded by Senator Francis Tolentino.
Cavite will have homegrown players such as Haliana Aldaya and Diane Reyes, alumnae of La Salle Dasmarinas, also join the team.
Also making to the final roster of coach Norman Maguinao's team are former Perpetual Help Binan player Fionna Gonato and former Philippine Christian University mainstays Honeylyn Caringal and Magdaliowi Flores.
The Patriots have yet to reveal the rest of the roster as of posting, but they held a two-day tryout on Nov. 23-24 at the Tolentino Sports Center in Tagaytay with more than 100 female ballers, some even coming all the way from Davao City, taking part.
“By forming this team to represent our province of Cavite, we are giving Filipina ballers an opportunity to showcase their skills in an all women's professional basketball tournament,” said Tolentino, a long-time supporter of youth and sports development whose brother, Tagaytay mayor Bambol, acts as the Philippine Olympic Committee president.
Tagaytay councilor Micko Tolentino, who joins his father Francis in Cavite's managerial staff, revealed during the team launch on Friday at the Windy Ridge Hotel that the team plans to hold its home games at the City of Dasmarinas Arena, which hosted two PBA semifinal doubleheaders.
The WMPBL will tip off with an invitational tournament in January with the professional league holding its first regular season in June.
Games will be played every weekend, similar to what the Japan B.League is doing, and for Jimenez, who is graduating this academic year, it gives her more time to complete her studies.
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