Mindoro Tamaraws

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Mindoro Tamaraws
2024 Mindoro Tamaraws season
Mindoro Tamaraws logo
LeagueMPBL
Founded2019; 5 years ago (2019)
HistoryMindoro Tamaraws
2019–2021, 2024–present
Mindoro Tams
2022
(Oriental) Mindoro Disiplinados
2023
ArenaPola Gymnasium
LocationMindoro
Team colors     
Head coachJR Cawaling

The Mindoro Tamaraws are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Mindoro island. The team primarily competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are the lone team based in the Mimaropa region and play their home games at Pola Gymnasium in Pola, Oriental Mindoro.

The team began play during the 2019–20 season. The franchise also competed in NBL–Pilipinas as the Mindoro Tamaraws Disiplinados (stylized as Disipl-Ina-dos) during the 2021 Chairman's Cup.

Currently, the Mindoro franchise is the oldest such in the MPBL that has yet to make a playoff appearance. They are also tied with the Biñan Tatak Gel and Parañaque Patriots for the longest playoff drought overall, having missed the playoffs in the last four seasons as of 2024.

History

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Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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The Mindoro Tamaraws joined the MPBL as an expansion team for the 2019–20 season, backed by 7A Sports and with Justin Tan as the team owner[1][2] In the Tamaraws' inaugural season, the team finished 12th in the South with a 9-21 record. In April 2020, actress and Pola mayor Jennifer "Ina Alegre" Cruz became co-owner of the team.

In the 2021 MPBL Invitational, Mindoro was able to make the playoff tournament by placing second in Group D. The team would go on to lose to the eventual Invitational champion Basilan Jumbo Plastic in the quarterfinals. Despite the great performance, in the 2022 season, the Tams finished with the worst record in the league, only getting one win in 21 games.

Heading into the 2023 season, the team was renamed the Oriental Mindoro Disiplinados; it would be changed partially to Mindoro Disiplinados in June 2023. On July 4, 2023, the Disiplinados played its first-ever home game in the Sentrong Pangkabataan. Later in the month, the team joined the Junior MPBL with the Mindoro Junior Disiplinados, the team was previously the junior team of the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo.

National Basketball League

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In 2021, a second team dubbed as the Mindoro Tamaraws Disiplinados was formed for the NBL–Pilipinas which is meant to a more homegrown-oriented team as opposed to the MPBL team which is intended to be the "showcase team".[3]

Scheduled Pilipinas Super League participation

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In October 2023, the Disiplinados were announced as one of the new teams for the Pilipinas Super League's 2023–24 President's Cup, where team would supposedly participate under the name RCP Pola Disiplinados–Shawarma Shack.

During the opening ceremonies, however, there was no mention of the Disiplinados. The team would move forward as the RCP–Shawarma Shack Demigods.

Home venues

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When mayor Cruz joined the team's ownership, it was also reported that a new arena was under construction in Calapan.[4][5] The arena became known as the Sentrong Pangkabataan and opened its doors in 2023. In 2024, the Mindoro franchise moved to the Pola Gymnasium in Pola.

Venue Location 2019–20 2022 2023 2024
Sentrong Pangkabataan Calapan, Oriental Mindoro Red XN Red XN Green tickY TBA
Pola Gymnasium Pola, Oriental Mindoro Red XN Red XN Red XN Green tickY

Current roster

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Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 0 Ariar, Kint 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Letran
C 1 Sison, Magi 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) UPD
G 2 Melton, Justin (FF) 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1987–04–07 Mount Olive
F/C 3 Marquez, Joseph Mark 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
G 4 dela Cruz, Jayvee 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G 5 Meca, Brylle Ivan 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Arellano
F 6 Reyes, Lester 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) SJIT
F 12 Caspe, JJ (HG) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Batangas
G 14 Teodoro, Teytey 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 1993–08–21 José Rizal
G 15 Samonte, Mark (HG) 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
F 16 Aquino, Art Patrick 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 1994–12–05 Centro Escolar
G 18 Desiderio, Paul 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 168 lb (76 kg) 1997–02–02 UP
F 20 Vaygan, Rodel (HG) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
F 23 Huerto, Don Jordan (HG) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
G 24 Estrella, Andrew 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
F/C 25 Bono, Ken 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 280 lb (127 kg) 1984-06-19 Adamson
F 30 Pableo, Kobe 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
G 45 Rios, Jordan 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) St. Clare
G 73 Peña, Erwin Van 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) De La Salle Araneta
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Leo Avenido
  • Jens Knuttel
  • Ricky Alcantara
  • Bengie Teodoro

Legend
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • (RS) Reserve player
  • Injured Injured

Updated as of: June 13, 2024

Head coaches

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# Name Term Ref.
1 Bengie Teodoro 2019
2 Justin Tan 2019–21
3 Britt Reroma 2021
4 Drake Santos 2022
5 Jonathan Reyes 2022–2023
6 JR Cawaling 2024

Notable players

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MPBL All-Star Day

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PBA players

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Season-by-season records

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League champions
Division champions
Qualified for playoffs
Best regular season record
Season Regular season Playoffs
Division Finish GP W L PCT GB Stage Results
Mindoro Tamaraws
2019–20
Lakan Season
South 12th 30 9 21 .300 17 Did not qualify
Mindoro Tams
2022 South 11th 21 1 20 .048 17 Did not qualify
Mindoro Disiplinados
2023 South 12th 28 6 22 .214 17 Did not qualify
Mindoro Tamaraws
2024 South 10th 28 10 18 .357 11 Did not qualify
All-time regular season record 107 26 81 .243 0 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record 0 0 0 0 Finals appearances
All-time overall record 107 26 81 .243 0 championships
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References

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  1. ^ "Mindoro Tamaraws gain new backer in Mayor Jennifer Cruz". Tiebreaker Times. April 17, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "MPBL: Ex-PBA player Mac Baracael to play for expansion club Mindoro". ABS-CBN News. June 1, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Li, Matthew (May 4, 2021). "Mindoro Tamaraws tap Silva, Brodett as asst coaches". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Leongson, Randolph (April 17, 2020). "Mindoro Tamaraws get boost with new co-owner in mayor, actress Jennifer Cruz". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  5. ^ Leongson, Randolph (September 3, 2020). "Former UE coach Silva, LSGH mentor Bienvenida join Mindoro Tamaraws staff". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved December 9, 2021.