Cebu Greats’ John Jamon during their MPBL game against the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. | MPBL photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Greats are set for three road games in July as part of their campaign in the 2025–2026 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) season.
Now coached by former PBA veteran Junthy Valenzuela, the revamped Cebu squad is looking to bounce back from a rough June stretch, where they went winless.
Compared to last month’s tough slate, July presents a relatively more manageable lineup of opponents.
First, Cebu will face the Biñan Tatak Gel Beast Motorcycle GameX on Thursday, July 3, at the Alonte Sports Arena in Laguna. Biñan currently sits at 16th place in the standings with a 9–7 record but has lost four of its last five outings, a slump similar to Cebu’s.
The Greats, meanwhile, are in 23rd place with a 4–13 record. They’re coming off a five-game skid, stemming from a recent shakeup in the franchise.
MASS EXODUS
A mass exodus of players and coaches occurred in June, driven by internal issues, including delayed salaries. That changed when Cebuano businessman Samson Lato took over as team owner and rebuilt the roster.
The new-look Greats are now bannered by veterans and collegiate standouts, including JR Quiñahan, Jun Manzo, Paul Desiderio, Reeve Ugsang, and soon-to-join Mac Tallo, who is currently with the Pangasinan squad.
They will bolster a core of holdovers from the former Cebu Classic squad: Ken Holmqvist, Paolo Hubalde, Jan Jamon, Darell Manliguez, Dolan Adlawan, Mark Meneses, and Jameson Hiro.
After Biñan, Cebu travels to Cavite to face the Imus Braderhood on July 11, followed by a matchup against the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys on July 17 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in Manila.
Imus currently ranks 14th with an 8–10 record, while Ilagan is in 18th with an even 8–8 slate.
With all games scheduled away from home, the wait continues for Cebuano fans hoping to see their team in action locally.