San Juan Knights

San Juan Knights
San Juan Knights
Leagues	MBA (1999–2001) ; MPBL (2018–present) ; FilBasket (2021–2022) ; PSL (2022–present)
Founded	1999
History	MBA: ; San Juan Knights (1999–2001) ; Andok's–San Juan Knights (2001) ; MPBL: ; San Juan Knights (2018–present) ; PSL: ; San Juan Kings (2022–present)
Arena	Filoil EcoOil Centre
Capacity	6,000
Location	San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines
Team colors
Main sponsor	Powerball Marketing & Logistics Corporation ; Almeria International Construction Corporation
Head coach	Randy Alcantara
Championships	MBA: 2 (2000, 2001 First) ; MPBL: 1 (2019)
Conference titles	MPBL: 2 (2019, 2020–21)

The San Juan Knights, also known as San Juan Knights – Go For Gold for sponsorship reasons, are a Filipino professional basketball team based in San Juan. The team primarily competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as one of 11 active teams based in Metro Manila. San Juan is also one of four teams based in the Eastern Manila District, playing their home games at Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The team also competes under the name San Juan Kings in the Pilipinas Super League.

The team was established in 1999 as was initially part of the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) until 2001, then joined the MPBL in the 2018–19 season, and later the PSL in the 2022–23 DUMPER Cup. They have also participated in FilBasket and the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3. In 2023, their volleyball counterpart, the San Juan Lady Knights became one of the eight charter teams of the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA).

San Juan plays their home games at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in the MPBL and PSL. During their time in the MBA, they have played in the PhilSports Arena from 1999 to early 2000, and the San Juan Gym in 2000.

The team has been one of more successful home-and-away basketball teams, clinching three championships throughout its history: two in the MBA (2000 and 2001 – First Phase) and one in the MPBL (2019). The Knights also made the MPBL's Division Finals three times in a row from 2019 to 2022.

San Juan also holds the highest overall regular season winning percentage for any active team in the MPBL at .760 as of 2023, and the most playoff wins of any MPBL team at 21.

History

Metropolitan Basketball Association

The San Juan Knights were founded in 1999 by then-mayor and current senator Jinggoy Estrada and businessman Sandy Javier. The team entered the Metropolitan Basketball Association as an expansion team for the league's 1999 season alongside the Surigao Miners and Nueva Ecija Patriots.

During the pre-season, the team acquired 6'9" Bonel Balingit from the Philippine Basketball Association to a three-year, P16 million contract. Joining Balangit are Gherome Ejercito from the Pampanga Dragons, a cousin of Estrada, 1998 NCAA Most Valuable Player Christian Calaguio, and Chito Victolero.

During the playoffs of the 2000 season, San Juan first swept the Laguna Lakers, 2–0, in the Northern Conference Semifinals and went past the Manila Metrostars, 3–1, in the Northern Conference Finals, bringing the Knights to the 2000 MBA National Championship. Game 5 of the championship series against the Negros Slashers had a debris-throwing incident at the La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, as the Knights were way ahead, 87–65, with 11:38 left in the fourth quarter when play was stopped. The Negros Slashers conceded game 5, giving the San Juan Knights a 3–2 heading into game 6.[1] San Juan would go on to win their first of back-to-back MBA championships.[2]

Team	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Wins
San Juan	76	88	84	85	W	104	4
Negros	75	77	90	89	L	91	2

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

In April 2018, San Juan Knights returned to the basketball scene, this time as an expansion team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.[3] The return of the Knights brought in names such as Mark Cardona and John Wilson. The team finished its inaugural season with a 20–5 record an clinched the third seed in the playoffs. In the playoffs, San Juan swept both Navotas and Quezon City, and won 2–1 against Manila to advance to the 2019 MPBL Finals against the Davao Occidental Tigers. The series went all the way to a game 5 as San Juan won its first MPBL championship and the third overall in franchise history.

Pilipinas Super League

After the conclusion of the 2022 MPBL season, San Juan made their debut in the Pilipinas Super League, under the name San Juan Kings. In the 2022–23 DUMPER Cup, the team went undefeated in the regular season, winning all 15 games. After being Manila in the Quarterfinals, the Kings met the Baltazar-led Pampanga G Lanterns in the Semifinals. Unfortunately, San Juan would lose to Pampanga in two games.

Team identity

The name Knights was chosen in reference to the concepts of gallantry and bravery.

Current roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	#	Name	Height	Weight	DOB (YYYY–MM–DD)	From
F	2	Calisaan, Michael	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)		1995–02–27	San Sebastian
G	3	Yu, Fran Louie	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)		1998–06–16	Letran
G	4	Subido, Renzo	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)	135 lb (61 kg)	1996–02–17	UST
G	5	Wamar Jr., Orlan	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)		1998–08–17	Centro Escolar
G	6	Soberano, AC	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)		1994–03–28	San Beda
G	7	Dennison, Ron	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)		1993–11–21	Far Eastern
F	8	Marquez, Joseph Mark	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)		1991–02–18
F	9	Javillonar, Paolo (SGL)	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)			Letran
G	10	Nocum, Adrian (SGL)	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)			Mapúa
C	11	Tajonera, Jeffrey	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)			Adamson
G	12	Taywan, Marwin	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)			Emilio Aguinaldo
F/C	13	Javier, Chris	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	1992–12–06	UE
F	15	Javillonar, Jeff (EP)	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)		1993–01–01	National-U
F	16	Huang, Zach	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)			UST
F	18	Mojica, Egie Boy	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)			Adamson
F/C	21	Ugsang, Reeve	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)			Southwestern-U
G	24	Panganiban, Nikko Pollo	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
F	26	Villafranca, Kevin Rey	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	198 lb (90 kg)	1993–05–05	USJ–R
C	27	Ubalde, Joseph (HG)	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)		1984–12–21

Head coach

Randy Alcantara

Assistant coach(es)

Nani Epondulan
Yong Garcia

Team manager

Jun Usman

Legend

(C) Team captain
(EP) Ex–PBA
(HG) Homegrown player
(FF) Filipino-foreigner player
(SGL) Special Guest License
Injured

Roster

Head coaches

Philip Cezar (1999–2001)

Randy Alcantara (2018–present)

Metropolitan Basketball Association

Randy Alcantara
Bonel Balingit
Vilmer Banares
Chris Calaguio
Danny Capobres
Gilbert Castillo
Bruce Dacia
Rudy Distrito
Gherome Ejercito
Kalani Ferreria
Philip Newton
Michael Otto
Rafi Reavis
Omanzie Rodriguez
Chito Victolero

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

San Juan Knights notable players
Player	Position	Tenure	Awards	All-Star	Remarks
Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
Mike Ayonayon		2018–2020	1x Finals MVP (2019) 1x All-MPBL First Team (2020)	1 (2019)	—
Larry Rodriguez		2018–2020	—	1 (2019)	—
John Wilson		2018–2020	1x Most Valuable Player (2020) 1x All-MPBL First Team (2020) 1x All-MPBL Second Team (2019)	1 (2020)	First player to record 1,000 points in the MPBL
Judel Fuentes		2022	1x All-MPBL First Team (2022)	1 (2022)	—
Adrian Nocum		2023–present	—	1 (2023)	—
Orlan Wamar Jr.		2023–present	—	1 (2023)	—

FilBasket

Rhenz Abando (2021)
Justin Gutang (2021–2022)

Season-by-season records

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

Season	Team name	Elimination round					Playoffs
Season	Team name	Division	Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
2018–19 Datu Cup	San Juan Knights	North	3rd/13	20	5	.800	First Round Division Semifinals Division Finals National Finals	won vs. Navotas, 2–0 won vs. Quezon City, 2–0 won vs. Manila, 2–1 won vs. Davao Occidental, 3–2
2019–20 Lakan Cup			1st/16	26	4	.867	First Round Division Semifinals Division Finals National Finals	won vs. Pasay, 2–0 won vs. Pampanga, 2–0 won vs. Makati, 2–1 lost vs Davao Occidental, 1–3
2022 Mumbaki Cup			3rd/11	14	7	.667	First Round Division Semifinals Division Finals	won vs. Valenzuela, 2–0 won vs. Pasig City, 2–0 lost vs. Nueva Ecija, 1–2
2023			6th/15	19	9	.679	First Round Division Semifinals	won vs. Makati, 2–0 TBD vs. Nueva Ecija, 0–0
Total elimination round				79	25	.760	3 playoff appearances
Total playoffs				23	9	.719	2 Finals appearances
Total franchise				102	34	.750	1 championship

Invitational records

Season	Team name	Elimination round					Playoffs
Season	Team name	Division	Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
2021	San Juan Knights	Group C	2nd/5	3	1	.750	Quarterfinals	lost vs. Pasig, 66–70
Total elimination round				3	1	.750	1 playoff appearance
Total playoffs				0	1	.000	0 Finals appearances
Total franchise				3	2	.600	0 championships

Pilipinas Super League

Records as of 2022–23 DUMPER Cup:

Season	Team name	Elimination round				Playoffs
Season	Team name	Division	Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
2022–23 DUMPER Cup	San Juan Kings	None	1st/16	15	0	1.000	Quarterfinals Semifinals	won vs. Manila, 1–0 lost vs. Pampanga, 0–2
2023–24 President's Cup	San Juan Kings	To be determined
Total elimination round				15	0	1.000	1 playoff appearance
Total playoffs				1	2	.333	0 Finals appearances
Total franchise				16	2	.889	0 championships

References

"Slashers conceded fifth game; Knights up, 3-2". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
"San Juan bags national title". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
"Pagbabalik ng Knights — San Juan, pasok bilang expansion team sa MPBL". ABS-CBN Sports. April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.

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[1] "Slashers conceded fifth game; Knights up, 3-2". Philippine Daily Inquirer.

[2] "San Juan bags national title". Philippine Daily Inquirer.

[3] "Pagbabalik ng Knights — San Juan, pasok bilang expansion team sa MPBL". ABS-CBN Sports. April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.