General Santos Warriors

Alias
South Cotabato Warriors
Leagues Played
Filippine - MPBL 111
Links
Wikipedia
Filippine - MPBL 05/08 10:00 - Bulacan Kuyas v South Cotabato Warriors W 82-85
Filippine - MPBL 05/02 10:00 - South Cotabato Warriors v Pasay Voyagers W 77-70
Filippine - MPBL 04/29 10:00 - South Cotabato Warriors v Zamboanga Master Sardines L 83-85
Filippine - MPBL 04/25 08:00 - Rizal Xentro Mall Golden Coolers v South Cotabato Warriors L 92-81
Filippine - MPBL 04/19 08:00 - South Cotabato Warriors v Muntinlupa Cagers W 103-62
Filippine - MPBL 04/10 08:00 - South Cotabato Warriors v Imus Agimat W 105-65
Filippine - MPBL 02/27 12:00 - Pampanga Giant Lanterns v GenSan Warriors L 93-75
Filippine - MPBL 11/04 12:00 - GenSan Warriors v Batangas City W 61-55
Filippine - MPBL 10/28 10:00 - Batangas City Embassy Chill v GenSan Warriors L 81-75
Filippine - MPBL 10/24 12:00 - GenSan Warriors v Muntinlupa Cagers W 85-78
Filippine - MPBL 10/17 12:00 - Muntinlupa Cagers v GenSan Warriors L 99-91
Filippine - MPBL 10/10 10:00 - GenSan Warriors v Muntinlupa Cagers W 79-70
Filippine - MPBL 09/28 10:00 - Batangas City Embassy Chill v GenSan Warriors L 75-58
Filippine - MPBL 09/21 10:00 - Sarangani Marlins v GenSan Warriors W 37-67
Filippine - MPBL 09/14 12:00 - GenSan Warriors v Bataan Risers W 99-65
Filippine - MPBL 08/16 10:00 - Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards v GenSan Warriors L 97-93
Filippine - MPBL 08/11 08:00 - GenSan Warriors v Manila Stars W 82-70
Filippine - MPBL 08/04 08:00 - Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. v GenSan Warriors W 86-109
Filippine - MPBL 07/31 10:00 - GenSan Warriors v Zamboanga Family`s Brand Sardines W 74-71
Filippine - MPBL 07/25 08:00 - GenSan Warriors v Quezon City Gaz N Go W 118-77
Filippine - MPBL 07/20 12:00 - GenSan Warriors v San Juan Knights L 83-88
Filippine - MPBL 07/14 08:00 - GenSan Warriors v Bicol Volcanoes W 121-80
Filippine - MPBL 07/08 10:00 - Pasay Voyagers v GenSan Warriors W 55-89
Filippine - MPBL 07/04 10:00 - GenSan Warriors v Batang Kankaloo W 95-90
Filippine - MPBL 06/27 10:00 - GenSan Warriors v Paranaque Patriots W 89-82
Filippine - MPBL 06/23 10:00 - Quezon Huskers v GenSan Warriors W 71-89
Filippine - MPBL 06/19 08:00 - Iloilo United Royals v GenSan Warriors W 84-86
Filippine - MPBL 06/10 10:00 - GenSan Warriors v Muntinlupa Cagers L 60-67
Filippine - MPBL 06/03 10:00 - Pasig City v GenSan Warriors W 46-52
Filippine - MPBL 05/26 10:00 - GenSan Warriors v Bacoor City Strikers L 68-74

The South Cotabato Warriors, formerly known as the GenSan Warriors, are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of South Cotabato. The team currently competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of two teams based in the Soccsksargen region, the other team being the Sarangani Marlins. The team plays their home games at Lagao Gymnasium in General Santos.

The team's first incarnation began play in the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) from 2005 to 2008 while also playing in the National Basketball Conference (NBC) from 2007 to 2008. The team played in Liga Pilipinas from 2008 to 2011 following the merger of the two former leagues.

In 2018, the team was revived as part of the MPBL's national expansion during the 2018–19 season, keeping the location identifier and moniker. In 2024, the team changed its location identifier from General Santos to South Cotabato, representing the entire province, not just the city.

History

First incarnation (2005–2011)

The team was founded in 2005 as the GenSan MP PacMan Warriors, originally as part of the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) and later the National Basketball Conference (NBC) in 2007. General Santos then became part of Liga Pilipinas in 2008 following the merger of both leagues and renamed to the MP–GenSan Warriors. Liga Pilipinas ceased opeartions in 2011, ending the team's first incarnation.

Second incarnation (2018–present)

Logo of the GenSan Warriors used from 2022 until 2023.

The team was revived in 2018 as part of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's national expansion in the 2018–19 season, becoming the league's first representative from the Soccsksargen region. Led by homegrown player Cris Masaglang, the team finished 4th in the South Division with 14–11 record. In the playoffs, the Warriors would be swept by the fifth-seeded Bacoor City Strikers in the First Round. General Santos then added Robby Celiz and John Raymundo into the roster for the 2019–20 MPBL season. Despite those additions and improving to 18–12, GenSan only finished seventh. Once again, the team was swept by second-seeded Bacoor City.

Both Celiz and Raymundo would depart from the team before the 2022 season, while also adding Nikko Panganiban. Panganiban would be declared an all-star as the Warriors once again improved, going 15–6 and finishing 4th in the South. The team would unfortunately suffer its third straight first-round exit after losing in three games to the Mark Yee-led Bacolod Bingo Plus. Panganiban would leave for San Juan, while the team added 2020 MVP John Wilson from the Pilipinas Super League's Davao Occidental Tigers. Alongside Wilson is Kyt Jimenez, coming off his rookie season with region rivals Sarangani. The 2023 season would be the team's most successful as it stands, finishing 21–7, improving their record yet again and breaking into the top three in its division for the first time. Wilson and Jimenez were both declared all-stars while Masaglang would win the Homegrown Player of the Year award. That season also saw the team's first-ever playoff series win, beating the Muntinlupa Cagers in three games in the First Round before losing to the Batangas City Embassy Chill in three during the Division Semifinals.

Heading into the 2024 season, the team will be without Jimenez, who was drafted and signed by the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA Season 48 draft. The Warriors also changed its location identifier to South Cotabato to represent the entire region.

I General Santos Warriors sono una squadra di pallacanestro filippina con sede a General Santos, Sarangani, che compete nella Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). La squadra è stata fondata nel 2019, quando la PBA ha approvato l'espansione della lega da 12 a 14 squadre. I Warriors sono stati la prima squadra della PBA a rappresentare Sarangani, e la seconda nella regione del Mindanao dopo i Cagayan de Oro Stars.

La squadra è di proprietà della Go For Gold Resources Inc. e gestita dal presidente del team e direttore esecutivo Jake Vargas. L'allenatore capo è Boyet Fernandez, un ex giocatore della PBA che ha guidato i San Miguel Beermen al campionato nel 2016.

I Warriors hanno fatto il loro debutto nella PBA il 20 marzo 2019, perdendo contro i Magnolia Hotshots. Tuttavia, la squadra ha mostrato segnali di miglioramento durante la stagione e ha chiuso con un record di 11-29. Nella stagione successiva, i Warriors sono migliorati ulteriormente e hanno raggiunto i playoff per la prima volta, perdendo al primo turno contro i TNT KaTropa.

I giocatori di spicco dei Warriors includono il centro Roosevelt Adams, l'ala forte Justin Chua, l'ala piccola Kevin Ferrer e il playmaker Javi Gomez de Liano. La squadra è nota per il suo stile di gioco veloce e per la sua difesa aggressiva.

I Warriors sono una delle squadre più giovani della PBA, con un'età media di soli 25 anni. Tuttavia, la squadra ha mostrato molto potenziale e si prevede che sarà una contendente al campionato nei prossimi anni.