Iloilo United Royals
| Iloilo United Royals | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | MPBL (2019–2020, 2023–2024, 2026) |
| Founded | 2019 |
| History | Iloilo United Royals 2019–present |
| Arena | Passi City Arena |
| Location | Passi, Iloilo |
| Team colors | |
| Main sponsor | Jerm Waste Transport |
| Head coach | RJ Patricio |
The Iloilo United Royals are a Philippine professional basketball team based in Passi, Iloilo.[1][2] The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. The team most recently played its home games at Passi City Arena.
The team joined the league in the 2019–20 season.
History
JJ Javelosa, who would later own the team, and basketball coach Nash Racela conceived of an idea for an Iloilo team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) while playing golf. Racela brought in his co-coach Eric Gonzales to the nascent team. Javelosa, would have tapped his son Jay, who was then playing college basketball for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, while Racela would have recruited from his varsity FEU Tamaraws team. MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao approved of the plan, but was almost shelved when a sponsor backed out. The elder Javelosa eventually found new sponsors, and named the team the Iloilo United Royals.[3]
In the Royals' inaugural season, the team qualified to the playoffs in its debut season, finishing 18–12, claiming the sixth seed in the South. In the First Round, the team was eliminated by the Basilan Steel in the South Division First Round.[4][5]
In the 2021 MPBL Invitational, the team was drawn into Group A alongside the other Visayas teams – Bacolod and Negros – and finished second, placing them into the playoff tournament. The team would go on to lose to the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in the Quarterfinals.[6][7] Iloilo then opted out of the 2022 MPBL season, with Javelosa stating that they took a leave of absence as they were uncertain that the MPBL will hold a tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.[8]
The Royals were announced to be one of the teams returning to the MPBL in time for the 2023 season.[9] Manu Inigo replaced Eric Gonzales as coach, with Cocolife as the principal sponsor.[8]
The Royals didn't take part in the 2025 season but returned in the 2026 season.[10] However their franchise was revoked by the MPBL management mid-season after abandoning a June 17, 2026 game and remained non-committal for future fixtures.[11]
Personnel
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Updated as of: May 6, 2026 |
Head coaches
| Iloilo United Royals head coaches | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Start | End | Achievements | Ref. |
| 1 | Eric Gonzales | 2019 | 2021 | — | [12] |
| 2 | Manu Inigo | 2023 | 2023 | — | [13] |
| 3 | MC Abolucion | 2023 | 2024 | — | |
| 4 | Japs Cuan | 2024 | 2024 | — | |
| 5 | Sherwin Cantos | 2026 | 2026 | — | |
| 6 | RJ Patricio | 2026 | 2026 | — | |
Notable players
MPBL All-Star Day
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PBA players
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Season-by-season records
| League champions | |
| Division champions | |
| Qualified for playoffs | |
| Best regular season record |
| Season | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Finish | GP | W | L | PCT | GB | Stage | Results | ||
| Iloilo United Royals | ||||||||||
| 2019–20 Lakan Season | South | 6th | 30 | 18 | 12 | .600 | 8 | Division quarterfinals | lost vs. Basilan, 0–2 | |
| Did not participate in 2022 | ||||||||||
| 2023 | South | 8th | 28 | 12 | 16 | .429 | 11 | Division quarterfinals | lost vs. Bacoor City, 1–2 | |
| 2024 | South | 9th | 28 | 11 | 17 | .393 | 10 | Did not qualify | ||
| Did not participate in 2025 | ||||||||||
| 2026 | South | Banned | Did not qualify | |||||||
| All-time regular season record | 86 | 41 | 45 | .477 | 2 playoff appearances | |||||
| All-time playoff record | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | 0 Finals appearances | |||||
| All-time overall record | 91 | 42 | 49 | .462 | 0 championships | |||||
References
- ↑ Leobert Julian A. de la Peña (December 2, 2021). "Iloilo United Royals reveal roster for 2021 MPBL Invitational". Daily Guardian. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ↑ Rick Olivares (November 13, 2019). "Iloilo Royals look to continue win streak vs Pasig in MPBL". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ↑ Olivares, Rick (December 16, 2019). "A love for the game and the region | Rick Olivares". BusinessMirror. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ↑ "Allyn Bulanadi leads Basilan past Iloilo and into MPBL division semifinals". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ↑ Ivan Saldajeno (February 25, 2020). "Bulanadi takes over in clutch as Basilan clinches playoff series against Iloilo". dugout.ph. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ↑ Randolph B. Leongson (December 22, 2021). "Nueva Ecija overcomes Iloilo to reach MPBL Invitational semis". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ↑ Guardian, Daily (December 22, 2021). "Iloilo falls to Nueva Ecija in MPBL Invitational quarterfinals". Daily Guardian. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- 1 2 "Iloilo United Royals set for 2023 MPBL return". www.panaynews.net. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ↑ Adrian Stewart Co (January 25, 2023). "Iloilo United Royals set for 2023 MPBL return". Panay News. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (April 4, 2026). "Quadruple-header split into 2 to open MPBL Season 8". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
- ↑ "MPBL revokes Iloilo franchise, bans United Royals management". Tiebreaker Times. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- ↑ "Quezon Huskers temper expectations as new MPBL team". The Philippine Star. February 21, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ↑ Adrian Stewart Co (February 16, 2023). "Ilonggo Sumido banners United Royals in MPBL". Watchmen Daily Journal. Retrieved March 16, 2023 – via Pressreader.com.
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