Manny Pacquiao joins Senate Defenders in UNTV basketball tournament

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine senator and 8-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will join the Senate Defenders when it participates in the fifth season of the UNTV Cup basketball tournament that opens on Monday, August 29, at the Mall of Asia Arena, per a press release from Public Relations and Information Bureau.

Pacquiao, a playing-coach for the Mahindra Enforcers in the PBA, will join a team that also has senators Sonny Angara and Joel Villanueva, both of whom are the team captains.

“We see our Big Three, namely Pacquiao, Angara and Villanueva carrying the load of the Defenders all the way to the championship,” said Assistant Coach Rodel Dascil in the press release.

Mike Fermin, the former head coach of the Adamson Falcons in the UAAP, will also be part of the coaching staff.

“I am excited to play side by side with Senators Angara and Villanueva and our goal is to get the UNTV Cup championship,” said Pacquiao, who has been training with the team twice a week over the last month.

“Manny easily caught up with our play because he is a natural basketball player,” said Angara, who played for the UP Maroons while he was a college student.

Villanueva, meanwhile, was a former player for the UST Growling Tigers and also the RP Youth Team in the SEABA tourney in 1990. In the press release, the senator said he was thrilled to play with Pacquiao.

“We are very excited this season especially since we have a Manny Pacquiao in our lineup.”

Senators Bam Aquino and Win Gatchalian are also part of the team, while Senate Minority Leader Ralph Rector will be a playing team manager. The Senate Defenders will also include former UAAP and NCAA players like Harley Ng, Rommel Malboa, Sam Marata, and Ryan Endaya.

Ronald Golding, Christian Andaya, Joe Andrew Garcia, Marlon Legaspi, Reynaldo Malaga, Emmanuel Baltazar, Warren Tan, and Simon Valencia make up the rest of the roster. – Rappler.com