Team Villar completes cast

By Neil Bravo
And then there are four.
Team Villar, a barnstorming squad made up of ragtag players from Manila, will be taking the spot left by Cebu’s M. Lhuillier in the Araw ng Dabaw Basketball Tournament set to start March 12 at the Davao City Recreation Center.
Team Villar’s participation was confirmed yesterday by William “Butch” Ramirez of Liga Dabaw.
The four teams competing for the four-day cagefest organized by Liga Dabaw and sponsored by the City Government of Davao are defending champion Montana Pawnshop, Royal Mandaya Hotel-VMO and Goldstar Hardware.
Team Villar will be bannered by former PBA pros Christian Nicdao, Chester Tolomia, Erian Daja, John Villaver, Jonathan Parreno, Chris Concepcion, Darwin Cordero, David Sebastian, Oca delos Reyes, Rolando Navarro, John Yap and Fritz Vesagas.
The team will be coached by Tony Chiong and managed by Joseph Sebastian.
The Pawnbrokers will try to defend its title with an almost similar line-up including balik-Montana Devon Sullivan.
The Pawnbrokers will parade a line-up consisting of Ronald Lamocha, Tibs Blanco, Leo Fernandez, Don Adorneo, Bonbon Bulac, Josh Adalid, Nestor Martinez, Jano Nunez, Edgar Awiten and JR de Guzman.
The team will be coached by Nick Serafica with Dong Cagampang and Peter Epe as assistants.
Goldstar Hardware will be the tournament darkhorse after they signed up former San Beda stars Sam Ekwe and Pong Escobal, a Davawenyo who played for Talk N Text in the PBA. Others in the Goldstar squad are Leomer Losentes, Edmar Patenio, Rey Colina, Jay Cabanog, Igot Jawod, Dado Ayson, Marlon Basco and Junar Pinto.
The Hardwaremen will be coached by Roderick Conda with Ice Gravador as assistant.
The biggest threat to the title of Montana will have to be Royal Mandaya Hotel-VMO with a star-studded line-up that includes Cris Calaguio, Francis Adriano, Jojo Tangkay, Mark Jeffries, Ramsey Williams and Cedric Happi (see separate story).