The Caloocan Batang Kankaloo are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Caloocan. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. They are one of two teams based in Metro Manila's Northern District, the other team being Valenzuela Classic. The team plays their home games at Caloocan Sports Complex.

Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
2024 Caloocan Batang Kankaloo season
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo logo
LeagueMPBL (2018–present)
PSL (2022–present)
Founded2017; 7 years ago (2017)
HistoryCaloocan Supremos
2017–2021 (MPBL)
2023–present (PSL)
Caloocan Excellence
2021–2022
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
2022–2023 (PSL)
2023–present (MPBL)
ArenaCaloocan Sports Complex
LocationCaloocan
Team colors     
Main sponsorYanyan International Philippines, Inc.
Head coachAlexander Angeles

The team began play in the 2018 MPBL season as one of the MPBL's charter teams. They also compete in the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) and currently go by the Caloocan Supremos, using the team's original name. Since its founding, the team is owned by the City Government of Caloocan.

History

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Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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In 2017, the Caloocan Supremos joined the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as one of the ten charter teams for its inaugural season.[1] The team played in the league's inaugural game against the Parañaque Patriots, but lost, 60-70.[2] The team only won one game in their inaugural season, giving them the worst record that season.

In the 2018–19 season, despite finishing with a losing record, Caloocan was tied with the Pampanga Lanterns for the final playoff spot, which Caloocan would clinch because of their victory in the teams' head-to-head matchup. The team was then swept in the First Round by the first-seeded Bataan Risers. In the 2019–20 season, even though the team finished with a winning record, they only finished ninth in the Northern Division.

For the 2021 Invitational, the team changed their name to the Caloocan Excellence.[3] In the following 2022 season, Caloocan would once again fall short, finishing ninth in the Northern Division.

In 2023, the veteran-led Caloocan squad managed to finish with the team's best record thus far, a 20–8 record, and clinched top four in its division for the first time. Despite a massive improvement from the previous season, none of its players were selected for that season's All-Star Game. In the First Round, the team had a tough matchup against Pasig City MCW Sports, but made it through in a close series that went to game 3. Unfortunately, they would go on to be swept by the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the Division Semifinals.

Pilipinas Super League

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In 2022, the team joined the Pilipinas Super League for the 2022–23 DUMPER Cup, and subsequently changed its name to the Batang Kankaloo. Batang Kankaloo would also be used as the name of its under-18 team.[4] The team tied for the fourth-best record alongside the Pampanga G Lanterns and Santa Rosa, but settled for the sixth-seed. In the playoffs, the Batang Kankaloo lost to the Pampanga Royce in the Quarterfinals.

During the 2023–24 MPBL off-season, the team returned to the PSL, this time going by its original name, the Caloocan Supremos.

Team identity

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From 2018 until 2020, the Caloocan Supremos used an orange and blue color scheme. The logo showed a graphic of the Bonifacio Monument on top of a basketball. An outline of a Victory Liner bus, the team's sponsor at the time, is also shown.

In 2021, upon renaming to the Caloocan Excellence, blue was replaced with green, forming an orange and green color scheme. The logo was a simple text with the team name, but with the Bonifacio Monument replacing the "L" in Caloocan. The simple text logo would carry over with the name change to Batang Kankaloo in 2022.

In 2023, during the team's second PSL stint, the team returned to the original Supremos name, now with the orange and green color scheme.

Home venues

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The only venue the Caloocan franchise played in was the Caloocan Sports Complex, located on the city's north side.

Venue Location 2018 2018–19 2019–20 2022 2023 2024
Caloocan Sports Complex Caloocan  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y

Current roster

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Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 0 Rosagas, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
F 1 Calahat, Rommel 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) San Sebastian
F 22 ubalde, Aldrin 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
G 3 Iñigo, Achie (HG) 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1991–06–28 Far Eastern
G 4 Palencia, Irven (HG) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) St. Clare
F/C 5 Matias, Ronnie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1983–11–29 Manila
G/F 7 Cabanag, Jeramer 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) San Beda
G/F 8 Laude, Jhygruz Vence 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Lyceum
F/C 10 Sumoda, Jessie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) San Sebastian
G/F 11 Sanga, Paul 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 1987–04–21 Far Eastern
F 14 Gonzales, Nhomer 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Letran
F 16 Bonsubre Jr., Antonio 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 1993–10–26 San Beda
F 18 Villamor, Dennice 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1990–07–01 National-U
G 20 Lee Yu, Joel 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 155 lb (70 kg) 1994–08–20 Far Eastern
F/C 26 Cervantes, Reil 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 198 lb (90 kg) 1986–08–16 Far Eastern
F/C 27 Espinas, Gabby 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1982–01–03 Philippine Christian
F 28 de Mesa, Rey 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
G 29 Tayongtong, Joco 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Emilio Aguinaldo
F 33 Casin, Paul Hendrix (HG) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
C 71 Valin, Jon Lee 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Arellano
G 88 Manalang, Peter Marc 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
F Dyke, Mark 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) De La Salle
F White, Anthony 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
G Alloso, Alljay (SGL) 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Head coach
  • Alexander Angeles
Assistant coach(es)
  • Rosser Benjamin Mangahas
  • Ronnie Dojillo
  • Karl Lanuza
  • Hector Serano
  • Peter Sta Maria
  • Patrick Melvin Manalang

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

Updated as of: June 18, 2024

Head coaches

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# Name Term Ref.
1 John Kallos 20182020
2 Rene Baena 20212022
3 Ronnie Dojillo 2022–2023
4 Robert Sison 2023
5 Alexander Angeles 2024

Notable players

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Individual award winners

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All-Stars

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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

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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Season Regular season Playoffs
Division Finish GP W L PCT GB Stage Results
Caloocan Supremos
2018
Rajah Cup
10th 9 1 8 .111 7 Did not qualify
2018–19
Datu Cup
North 8th 25 11 14 .440 12 Division quarterfinals lost vs. Bataan, 0–2
2019–20
Lakan Season
North 9th 30 16 14 .533 10 Did not qualify
Caloocan Excellence
2022 North 9th 21 6 15 .286 15 Did not qualify
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
2023 North 4th 28 20 8 .714 6 First Round
Division Semifinals
won vs. Pasig, 2–1
lost vs. Pampanga, 0–2
2024 North 5th 28 19 9 .679 7 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals
won vs. Manila, 2–0
lost vs. San Juan, 0–2
All-time regular season record 141 73 68 .518 3 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record 11 4 7 .364 0 Finals appearances
All-time overall record 152 77 75 .507 0 championships

Pilipinas Super League

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Season Regular season Playoffs
Finish GP W L PCT GB Stage Results
Batang Kankaloo Koolers
2022–23
DUMPER Cup
6th 15 10 5 .667 5 Quarterfinals lost vs. Pampanga Royce, 77–91
Caloocan Supremos
2023–24
President's Cup
4th 18 14 4 .778 3 First Round
Quarterfinals
won vs. AO–Indanan, 115–69
lost vs. Quezon, 0–2
All-time regular season record 33 24 9 .727 2 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record 4 1 3 .250 0 Finals appearances
All-time overall record 37 25 12 .676 0 championships

References

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  1. ^ Luarca, Roy (August 29, 2017). "Pacquiao's new basketball league gets off ground". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  2. ^ Lagunzad, Jerome (January 26, 2018). "MPBL: Parañaque turns back Caloocan in inaugural match". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  3. ^ Magallon, Reynald I. (November 26, 2021). "San Juan, Nueva Ecija set for early clash in MPBL Invitational". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  4. ^ Ulanday, John Bryan (November 18, 2022). "Pilipinas Super League returns with 14 squads". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 31, 2023.