NORTHPORT’S fate will be the highlight in today’s PBA board meeting, with blurry questions on the alleged sale of the Batang Pier to Pureblends for P90M—lock, stock, and barrel —expected to be answered.
Pro league Commissioner Willie Marcial maintained that whether the Caloocan-based food solution provider specializing in custom food manufacturing has indeed bought the Mikee Romero-owned ballclub, it still needs to comply with pro league requirements, such as financial statements and documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
And more importantly? Two-thirds votes from the powerful board of governors.
“May board meeting today and doon natin malalaman. About sa mga lumabas na balita na nabili na ang prangkisa ng NorthPort, malalaman natin sa report ng NorthPort,” Marcial told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday. “Titingnan pa natin, kung may katotohanan, kung ano sasabihin, and kung may approval ba ng board at kung paano iyon.
“Kailan din ng board approval iyon and malalaman natin. Depende pa rin iyan kasi hindi ko pa alam kung hanggang saan ang negotiations nila, ‘di ba? Also, if maibibigay nila (Pureblends) iyong requirements ng board. Kung may katotohanan nga,” he added.
Pureblends Corporation’s listed owner is Bryann Calantoc, who played high school basketball for Grace Christian High and reportedly is a friend of NorthPort coach Bonnie Tan.
A University of Santo Tomas product, Calantoc also suited up for the Growling Tigers in alumni meets.
“Basta magkasundo sila and okay iyong requirements na hinihingi namin, magkakaroon ng green light iyon,” Marcial said. “Pero kung may board approval pero hindi makabigay ng requirements, wala rin.”
The Tan-mentored Batang Pier reached the semifinals of the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup last season but lost to Ginebra.
In bizarre moves that followed, NorthPort shipped last May vastly-improved William Navarro to Magnolia for veteran forward Calvin Abueva, Jerrick Balanza, and a second-round pick in the 51st season Draft.
The Batang Pier also let go of star forward Arvin Tolentino, who signed with the Korean Basketball League in the same month.
NorthPort finished with a 2-9 mark for 11th and has only made it to the semifinals three times in franchise history since Sultan 900 Inc. took over the Powerade franchise in 2012.
The Batang Pier have the No. 4 pick in Sunday’s rookie Draft at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall and if and when the sale pushes through, fans are expected to see the first appearance of Pureblends, or NorthPort if it opts to still carry that team name, in the pro league.
