Sea Bears, Summer, and Stars: PBL’s Booked and Busy July
PBL Summer Tournament Champions Metroball
From exhilarating professional basketball action in Winnipeg to memorable weekend battles in Steinbach, it was a July to remember for the Prairie Basketball League (PBL).
The Winnipeg Sea Bears put on an entertaining win against the Montreal Alliance earlier this month. From getting on the jumbotron to meeting players afterward, it was a night to remember for the PBL family. Thank you to Robert Kilmartin and the Sea Bears team for providing us with a thrilling experience.
It was time to shine a light on the next generation of players. For the young ones, the Future Stars Summer Camp was an opportunity for young players to develop their skills over three days at the Steinbach Christian School.
Players at the Future Stars Camp held in July.
The Battlegrounds Exposure Camp was hosted by PBL and Aim High Academy in mid-July. The experience allowed both junior and high school players to showcase their skills in front of coaches and scouts to potentially receive future play opportunities. Players participated in skill sessions and scrimmages, and then Battlegrounds All-Star Game to wrap up the weekend.
Thank you to coaches Eric Sung, Mike Page, Patrick Sumugat, Champ Pujante, and Darren Watts, and scouts Marlin Kraus, Sherwin Vasallo, and Pierre Dubreuil for spending time with the players.
Wrapping up July was the Summer Tournament at Steinbach Bible College. Winnipeg-based Jeepney served up sweet and savoury indulgences that left many wanting more. Outer Main Track Coffee served their drinks and filled all the on-site caffeine needs. We cannot forget about DJ Era who made his return to the PBL stage and provided excitement with his music.
Jeepney travelled all the way from Winnipeg for the weekend to serve iconic Filipino dishes.
After two days of an action-packed weekend, the last two standing was Metroball and INEVERTIEMYSNEAKERS. In the end, Metroball took home the title of 2023 PBL Summer Tournament Champions.
Congratulations to Metroball’s Jesse Bardaje for being named the Tournament MVP and Paul Bocolan for his Defensive Player of the Year honours. Jonar Huertas (Blizzards), Lorence Dela Cruz (INEVERTIEMYSNEAKERS), Branden Critch (Let It Fly), Miguel Nitro (Metroball), and Daniel Sackey (Blizzards) were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
As we head into August, it’s time to register for the upcoming season. Registration for PBL’s 2023-2024 Winter League is now open. The last day to register is on September 9 and the season kicks off on October 14. More information can be found at prairiebasketballleague.ca/registration.
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