Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup explained

Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup
Sport:Basketball
Motto:Ato Ni Bai
Inaugural:2021 (1st)
Teams:5
Country: Philippines
Continent:FIBA Asia (Asia)
Champion:MisOr Mustangs
Most Champs:5 teams

The Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup was a men's regional basketball league in the Philippines. The league comprises teams from the Visayas and Mindanao regions, similar to the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) from 2006 until 2008, with the aim of searching for local, homegrown talent from those regions.[1]

The last tournament the league held was the 2023 Fiesta Pilar Championship before going inactive.

History

Plans for a basketball league in the island groups of Visayas and Mindanao were first reported in October 2020, noting that the league will begin play once COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are lifted.[2] The VisMin Cup was first announced in January 2021 by chief operating officer Rocky Chan with Dondon Hontiveros as its ambassador. Hontiveros, who started his basketball career with the Cebu Gems of the Metropolitan Basketball Association, stated that they want to "bring back the days where basketball in [VisMin] was awesome. When people came in droves to watch the games and homegrown players were given a fair opportunity to play for their cities and provinces."[3]

They aimed to start their first conference on April 9, 2021, with teams split into two "legs" or conferences for Visayas and Mindanao. In addition, games in each leg would take place in a neutral venue, with the initial plan being to host the Visayas leg in Cebu City and the Mindanao leg in the Zamboanga Peninsula. The Visayas leg was eventually moved to the municipality of Alcantara, Cebu due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] [5] [6]

The first conference began as planned on April 9 with the Visayas leg. In just its first week of play, the league became the center of controversy when on April 14, a game between the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes and Siquijor Mystics raised suspicions due to missed free throws and easy shots and was called out for its "lack of respect" for the game.[7] The league was at risk of losing title sponsor Chooks-to-Go, demaning the league to swiftly hand out sanctions.[8] The controversy was resolved the following day after the league handed out numerous sanctions, including the expulsion of the entire Siquijor Mystics team due to allegations of game-fixing.[9]

Format

The inaugural 1st Conference featured a two-leg setup in which the Visayas-based teams and Mindanao-based teams are divided. Teams can only play against other teams from the same leg during the elimination round and playoffs. The winning team from both legs then meet in what was dubbed as the "Southern Finals". The 2nd conference only featured Mindanao-based teams, causing it to only have one leg, the "Mindanao Challenge". The following Import-laden Conference in 2022, whilst it saw the return of Visayas-based teams, legs were completely abolished.

In 2023, the league transitioned to smaller tournaments for the Open Championship and Fiesta Pilar Championship, each featuring only four and five teams, respectively, all based in Mindanao.

Roster regulations

There are also roster regulations each participating team must follow. Each team's roster must have three players from the locality it is based in. In addition, there are also requirements for players based in Luzon and the VisMin area.[10]

Teams

TeamLocalityFirst conferenceLast conference
ALZA - Alayon ZamboangaZamboanga del Sur2021 (1st)
ARQ Builders – Lapu-Lapu City HeroesLapu-Lapu, Cebu2021 (1st)
align=center 2021 (1st)align=center 2021 (2nd)
CDO StampedeCagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental2023 Open
Clarin Sto. NiñoClarin, Misamis Occidental2021 (1st)
CPG–Bohol Pure Mineral Water DolphinsPresident Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol2022 Import-laden
Dumaguete Warriors 2021 (1st)
Iligan Alpha Omega KingsIligan, Lanao del Nortealign=center 2021 (1st)align=center 2023 Fiesta Pilar
Kapatagan BuffalosKapatagan, Lanao del Nortealign=center 2021 (1st)align=center
Kalos PH LawaanLawaan, Eastern Samar2022 Import-laden
KCS Computer Specialists – MandaueMandaue, Cebu2021 (1st)
MACFI Basilan Golden Lions2022 Import-laden
McDavid ZamPenalign=center 2022 Import-ladenalign=center 2023 Fiesta Pilar
MisOr MustangsMisamis Orientalalign=center 2021 (1st)align=center 2023 Fiesta Pilar
MJAS Zenith – Talisay City AquastarsTalisay, Cebu2021 (1st)
OCCCI Ormoc Sheer Masters2022 Import-laden
Pagadian Explorersalign=center 2021 (1st)align=center
align=center 2021 (1st)align=center
Siquijor MysticsSiquijor, Siquijor2021 (1st)
Sultan Naga Dimaporo BarracudasSultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte2022 Import-laden
Tabogon VoyagersTabogon, Cebu2021 (1st)
Tubigon–Bohol MarinersTubigon, Boholalign=center 2021 (1st)align=center 2022 Import-laden
Zamboanga Sibugay KnightsZamboanga Sibugayalign=center 2021 (2nd)align=center 2023 Fiesta Pilar
align=center 2021 (1st)align=center 2023 Fiesta Pilar
Notes

List of champions

Professional tournaments

Year Tournament Winning team Score Losing team
align=center rowspan="2" 2021align=center 1stalign=center 3–0
(series)
KCS Computer Specialist
align=center 2ndZamboanga Sibugay Warriors align=center 2–0
(series)
Kapatagan Buffalo Braves
align=center 2022align=center Import-ladenCPG-Bohol Dolphins align=center 2–0
(series)
OCCCI Ormoc Sheer Masters
align=center rowspan="2" 2023align=center Openalign=center 108–93 McDavid ZamPen
align=center Fiesta PilarMisOr Mustangs align=center 85–80 Zamboanga Valientes

Youth tournaments

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Leongson . Randolph B. . VisMin Super Cup opening in 2021 to unearth more talent from South . Spin.ph . October 13, 2020 . October 19, 2020 .
  2. News: Vis-Min Super League pormahon kon wala na'y hulga sa Covid-19 . Vis-Min Super League to be formed once Covid-19 threat disappears . ceb . . September 11, 2020 . October 19, 2020.
  3. News: VisMin Super Cup taps Dondon Hontiveros as ambassador . January 9, 2021 . Tiebreaker Times . January 7, 2021.
  4. News: Rosal . Glendale . Alcantara to host Visayas leg of Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup . . February 18, 2021 . February 18, 2021 .
  5. News: Alcantara andam mo-host sa Vismin Super Cup . Alcantara prepared to host Vismin Super Cup . . ceb . February 13, 2021 . February 18, 2021 .
  6. News: Villaruel . Emmanuel B. . Super Cup mapasalamaton sa Alcantara . Super Cup thankful to Alcantara . ceb . . February 17, 2021 . February 19, 2021 .
  7. News: Terrado . Reuben . GAB probes 'strange' VisMin Cup match between Lapu-Lapu, Siquijor . 15 April 2021 . Sports Interactive Network Philippines . en.
  8. News: VisMin Cup sponsor demands swift sanctions after controversial game . 15 April 2021 . ABS-CBN News . 15 April 2021 . en.
  9. News: Lozada . Bong . Siquijor Mystics expelled from VisMin Super Cup; players, coaches fined . 15 April 2021 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 15 April 2021 . en.
  10. News: Lozada . Bong . VisMin hoops tournament to launch soon . . October 17, 2020 . October 19, 2020 .