MPBL Preseason Invitational

{{short description|Preseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League}}

{{For|the most recent tournament|2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational}}

{{Redirect|MPBL Invitational|the inaugural edition|2021 MPBL Invitational}}

{{use Philippine English|date=July 2024}}

{{use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox basketball league

| name = MPBL Preseason Invitational

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| founded = 2021

| current = 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational

| defunct =

| website =

| champions = Pampanga Giant Lanterns

| season = 2024

| most_champs = Three teams (1 title each)

| teams = 8 (since 2023)
22 (in 2021)

| tv = MPTV

}}

The MPBL Preseason Invitational is the preseason pocket tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). The tournament was first held in 2021, intended to make up for the long gap between the 2019–20 and 2022 seasons. The Preseason Invitational returned with a smaller eight-team format in 2023 and 2024 before being cancelled for the 2025 MPBL season.

History

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to temporarily suspend league play on March 12, 2020, in the midst of its 2020 playoffs. The league also cancelled its plans to start its fourth season in June of that year and instead aimed for a return in June 2021, which also didn't push through.{{cite news |last1=Tupas |first1=Cedelf |date=1 June 2020 |title=MPBL cancels 2020–2021 season |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/395475/mpbl-cancels-2020-2021-season |access-date=2 June 2020 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer}}{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Tiebreaker |date=2021-05-28 |title=MPBL mulls closed-circuit setup for late August opening |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/mpbl-mulls-closed-circuit-setup-for-late-august-opening/209154 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}}

As the league began its transition to professional status, it also looked to start an invitational tournament in December.{{cite news |date=November 10, 2021 |title=Chooks-to-Go MPBL set to turn pro, removes Fil-for restrictions |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/chooks-to-go-mpbl-set-to-turn-pro-removes-fil-for-restrictions/224449 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times}} On November 16, 2021, during the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum, league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes formally announced the Invitational as the league settled on starting its fourth season in 2022. The tournament would also be supervised by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) and monitored by FIBA.{{Cite web |last=Giongco |first=Mark |date=2021-11-16 |title=MPBL to hold 22-team tournament at MOA Arena to kick off return |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/441919/mpbl-to-hold-22-team-tournament-at-moa-arena-to-kick-off-return |access-date=2021-12-22 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}

The 2021 MPBL Invitational went underway on December 11, 2021. It was the first event of the MPBL under professional status.{{cite news |date=10 December 2021 |title=MPBL officially turns professional |url=https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/10/mpbl-officially-turns-professional/ |accessdate=10 December 2021 |work=Manila Bulletin}} The entire tournament was held at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay and fans were allowed in the arena at 50-percent capacity, though tickets were only provided to the participating teams to give to fans.{{cite web |title=MPBL will welcome back fans in MOA pocket tournament, says Duremdes |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/mpbl-will-welcome-back-fans-in-moa-arena-tournament-a2437-20211209 |accessdate=10 December 2021 |website=Sports Interactive Network Philippines}} The inaugural tournament featured 22 teams and was won by Basilan Jumbo Plastic.{{cite news |last=Leongson |first=Randolph |date=22 December 2021 |title=Manalang trey at the buzzer lifts Basilan past N Ecija in MPBL Finals |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/nueva-ecija-basilan-mpbl-invitational-finals-a2437-20211223 |accessdate=11 October 2023 |work=Sports Interactive Network Philippines}}

The Invitational has since become the league's preseason tournament in the seasons that followed. The next two editions of the Invitational (2023 and 2024) took place at Lagao Gymnasium in General Santos. The tournament is now held every February to align with the city's Kalilangan Festival. This is also the only event in the league's calendar to feature guest teams. Since 2023, the GenSan Bulalakaw, a General Santos-based club, have become a regular competitors at the tournament. Now renamed as the MPBL Preseason Invitational, the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines won the 2023 edition while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns won the 2024 edition.{{Cite web |title=Zamboanga rules MPBL Preseason Cup |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/03/01/2248313/zamboanga-rules-mpbl-preseason-cup |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Philstar.com}}{{Cite web |date=2024-02-28 |title=Baltazar, Serrano lead Pampanga to MPBL Preseason crown |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/baltazar-serrano-lead-pampanga-to-mpbl-preseason-crown/295519 |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}}

On January 23, 2025, the league announced that it would cancel plans to hold a preseason tournament for the 2025 season.

Format

The format of the Preseason Invitational follows that of traditional FIBA tournaments. Since 2023, each tournament consists of eight teams that are divided into two groups of four teams. Each team plays one game against each team from within the same group. The top two teams advance to the single-elimination playoffs, where the top four positions are settled.{{cite news |date=January 30, 2023 |title=MPBL welcomes Quezon Province, Negros Muscovados |url=https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/30/mpbl-welcomes-quezon-province-negros-musovados/ |accessdate=February 4, 2023 |work=Manila Bulletin}}

= Prize pot =

The Preseason Invitational also features a prize pot, which is included in every tournament to date. In 2021, only the top three teams were given prize money.{{cite news |date=26 November 2021 |title=MPBL Invitational champion to get P2-million prize |url=https://www.rappler.com/sports/mpbl-invitational-champion-million-prize/ |accessdate=11 December 2021 |work=Rappler}} This was changed in 2023 so that every team is given prize money.{{Cite web |title=P3M at stake in MPBL preseason joust |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/02/20/2246333/p3m-stake-mpbl-preseason-joust |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=Philstar.com}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Rank

! 2021

! 2023

! 2024{{Cite web |date=2024-02-20 |title=MPBL preseason starts in GenSan |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2024/02/20/2334815/mpbl-preseason-starts-gensan |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Philstar.com}}

1st

| ₱2,000,000

| ₱3,000,000

| ₱1,500,000

2nd

| colspan=3 | ₱500,000

3rd

| ₱250,000

| colspan=2 | ₱300,000

4th

| {{n/a}}

| colspan=2 | ₱200,000

5th–8th

| {{n/a}}

| ₱100,000

| ₱125,000

Teams

A total of 28 teams have made an appearance in a Preseason Invitational tournament. Teams are listed under their name as of the 2024 season, the last time the event was held.

class="wikitable"

|style="background:#CFFFCF; width:2em"| *

Guest team

style="background:#FFCFCF; width:2em"| †

Team has since departed the league

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan=2 | Team

! colspan=3 | Appearances

! rowspan=2 | Best result{{efn|group=teams|If a team has achieved the same result multiple times, it is shown in parentheses.}}

Total

! First

! Last

align=left | Bacolod City of Smiles

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left bgcolor="FFCFCF" | Bacoor City Strikers†

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left bgcolor="CFFFCF" | Basilan Jumbo Plastic*{{efn|group=teams|Basilan Jumbo Plastic originally departed from the league at the time of the 2021 tournament, and would later return full-time in 2025.{{cite news |last1=Li |first1=Matthew |title=Basilan goes pro in VisMin, changes name to Peace Riders |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/basilan-goes-pro-in-vis-min-changes-name-to-peace-riders/204633 |access-date=March 29, 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=March 29, 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Badua |first=Snow |date=2024-11-27 |title=Basilan team making an MPBL comeback after two-year hiatus |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/mpbl/basilan-team-making-an-mpbl-comeback-after-two-year-hiatus-a800-20241127?utm_source=Facebook-Spin&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20241127-fbnp-basketball-basilan-team-making-an-mpbl-comeback-after-two-year-hiatus-a800-20241127-fbnew&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2A2gYMTh-iwrrow4jIYOdvhv1Ppg34qnsT3MsCC90Kji99u1J7e7cEwr0_aem_Eme9BFMy_WVJGGhwMQN7XA |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}}}

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|1|Champions}}

align=left | Bataan Risers

| 1

colspan=2 | 2024

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters

| 2

| {{Sort|3|Third place}}

align=left bgcolor="FFCFCF" | Bicolandia Oragons†

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|8|Quarterfinalist}}

align=left | Biñan Tatak Gel

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | Bulacan Kuyas

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | Caloocan Batang Kankaloo

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left bgcolor="CFFFCF" | GenSan Bulalakaw*

| 2

| {{Sort|16.2|Group stage (2x)}}

align=left bgcolor="FFCFCF" | Iloilo United Royals†

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|8|Quarterfinalist}}

align=left | Imus Agimat

| 2

| {{Sort|3|Third place}}

align=left bgcolor="FFCFCF" | Makati OKBet Kings†

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | Manila SV Batang Sampaloc

| 2

| {{Sort|16.2|Group stage (2x)}}

align=left | Marikina Shoemasters

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | Mindoro Tamaraws

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|8|Quarterfinalist}}

align=left | Muntinlupa Cagers

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left bgcolor="CFFFCF" | Negros Muscovados*{{efn|group=teams|The Negros Muscovados were not yet a full-time member at the time of the 2021 tournament, as they would later join the league in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Luarca |first=Roy |title=Negros Muscuvados fielding homegrown talents in MPBL |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/04/04/2088843/negros-muscuvados-fielding-homegrown-talents-mpbl |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Philstar.com}}{{cite web |title=Quezon, Negros Musovados join MPBL as 5th season features 26 squads |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/01/31/2241535/quezon-negros-musovados-join-mpbl-5th-season-features-26-squads |website=The Philippine Star |date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=March 17, 2023}}}}

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards

| 2

| {{Sort|2.2|Runner-up (2x)}}

align=left | Pampanga Giant Lanterns

| 1

colspan=2 | 2024

| {{Sort|1|Champions}}

align=left | Pasig City MCW Sports

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|3|Third place}}

align=left | Quezon City Toda Aksyon

| 1

colspan=2 | 2024

| {{Sort|4|Fourth place}}

align=left | Rizal Golden Coolers

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|16|Group stage}}

align=left | San Juan Knights

| 1

colspan=2 | 2021

| {{Sort|8|Quarterfinalist}}

align=left | Sarangani Marlins

| 2

| {{Sort|4|Fourth place}}

align=left | South Cotabato Warriors

| 3

| {{Sort|16.3|Group stage (3x)}}

align=left | Valenzuela Classic

| 3

| {{Sort|16.3|Group stage (3x)}}

align=left | Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines

| 1

colspan=2 | 2023

| {{Sort|1|Champions}}

;Notes

{{notelist|group=teams}}

List of tournaments

rowspan=2 \| Year ! rowspan=2 \| City ! rowspan=2 \| Venue ! colspan=3 \| Finalists ! colspan=3 \| Semifinalists ! rowspan=2 \| Ref.
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Champion ! Score ! Runner-up ! Third place ! Score ! Fourth place
2021	align=left \| Pasay	align=left \| SM Mall of Asia Arena \| align=left \| Basilan Jumbo Plastic	83–80 (OT)	align=left \| Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards \| align=left \| Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors	100–80	align=left \| Imus Buracai de Laiya \|
2023	align=left rowspan=2 \| General Santos	align=left rowspan=2 \| Lagao Gymnasium \| align=left \| Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines	88–80	align=left \| Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards \| align=left \| Imus SV Squad	93–76	align=left \| Sarangani Marlins \|
2024 \| align=left \| Pampanga Giant Lanterns	93–75	align=left \| South Cotabato Warriors \| align=left \| Batangas City Athletics	68–60	align=left \| Quezon City Toda Aksyon \|

References

{{reflist}}

{{MPBL Preseason Invitational}}

{{MPBL}}

Preseason Invitational

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2021