Mahindra Floodbuster

Mahindra Floodbuster
History
Kia Sorento (2014–2015) Kia Carnival (2015) Mahindra Enforcer (2015–2016) Mahindra Floodbuster (2016–present)
Joined PBA	2014
Team colors	Red, Black, White, Gray
Company	Columbian Autocar Corporation
Owner(s)	Jose C. Alvarez
Board governor	Tomas C. Alvarez Demosthenes Rosales (alternate) Bienvenido Santos (alternate)
Team manager	Eric Pineda Joe Ramos (assistant)
Head coach	Chris Gavina (interim coach for Manny Pacquiao)
Championships
None
Uniforms
Light Dark

The Mahindra Floodbuster are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The team is owned by Columbian Autocar Corporation, the exclusive distributor of Mahindra and Kia automobiles in the Philippines.

History

Kia Sorento/Carnival

On April 10, 2014, Columbian Autocar Corporation, along with Manila North Tollways Corporation (NLEX Road Warriors) and Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc. (Blackwater Elite) were approved by the PBA Board of Governors to become expansion teams for the 2014–15 PBA season.^[1] Upon entry to the PBA, the three teams will select players from a dispersal draft in July consisting of unprotected current PBA players and free agents.^[2] They will also get to pick rookies in the 2014 PBA draft in August.^[3] On June 9, 2014, the team held a press conference, announcing that boxer Manny Pacquiao will coach their team in the 2014–15 season.^[4] After announcing his intentions to join the draft, Pacquiao got picked 11th overall in the first round by the KIA team, thus becoming a playing coach.

A naming contest was held to determine the team's moniker or name.^[5] On August 24, 2014, hours after the 2014 PBA draft, Columbian Autocar Corporation president Ginia Domingo announced that they would take the moniker "Sorento", the name of their top-selling sports utility vehicle in the Philippines and United States.^[6] Prior to obtaining its official moniker, the team was dubbed as "The Kia Kamao" which is a call back to Pacquiao's nickname "Pambansang Kamao".^[7]

Kia Sorento/Carnival (2014–15 season)

The Sorento marked their first win in franchise history after they defeated their fellow expansion team Blackwater Elite in the opening of the 2014–15 PBA season at the Philippine Arena. They lost their next ten games and finished 11th in the Philippine Cup.

For the 2015 Commissioner's Cup, the team changed its name to "Kia Carnival" to promote the introduction of the 2015 model of its namesake minivan.^[8] The team signed Puerto Rican player Peter John Ramos as their reinforcement.

In the 2015 Governors' Cup, the team selected Senegalese national team center Hamady N'diaye and Taiwanese stalwart Jet Chang as imports. The team created history by having the first Senegalese and Taiwanese imports in the league.

Mahindra Enforcer (2015–16 season)

Logo of the Mahindra Enforcer for the 2015-16 season

On July 15, 2015, team managers Eric Pineda and Joe Ramos announced that the team will play the 2015–16 season as the "Mahindra Enforcer".^[9] The name change reflects the thrust of the company to introduce the Mahindra automobile brand.^[10]

Mahindra Enforcer became the first team in the PBA to have its own training facility, with the unveiling of "The Hardcourt" on March 12, 2016. The Hardcourt, which also contains a swimming pool, and a weights room, is located within the grounds of Azure Urban Resort and Residences in Bicutan, Parañaque. The facility will also have a basketball shooting machine.^[11]

For the 2016 Commissioner's Cup, the team signed the American player Augustus Gilchrist as their reinforcement

During the 2016 Governor's Cup, the Enforcers made their best start in their franchise history with 4–0 record. The franchise also made their first ever PBA playoff appearance but they lost to the Meralco Bolts in the quarterfinals.

Mahindra Floodbuster (2016–present)

On October 30, 2016, during the draft day, the team annouced that the team will play 2016–17 season as the "Mahindra Floodbuster" to introduce the flood-proof variant of the Mahindra Enforcer, the Floodbuster..

Team roster

Mahindra Floodbuster roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G 0 Celda, Reden (R) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1992–03–01 National-U G 2 Revilla, LA (C) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 146 lb (66 kg) 1989–11–30 De La Salle G/F 3 Guevarra, Rey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1986–11–24 Letran G/F 6 Nimes, Josan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1991–05–11 Mapúa G 8 Paniamogan, Philip 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1991–05–30 José Rizal G/F 11 Mallari, Alex 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 176 lb (80 kg) 1987–03–26 Lewis–Clark State G 13 David, Gary 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1978–07–13 Lyceum F 14 Deutchman, Jason 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 211 lb (96 kg) 1987–09–27 San Diego State G 17 Pacquiao, Manny (IN) 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) 151 lb (68 kg) 1978–12–17 NDDU G 18 Araña, Ryan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1984–03–23 De La Salle F 19 Villamor, Dennice (IN) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1990–07–01 National-U F 27 Yee, Mark 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1982–01–04 San Sebastian (Cavite) F/C 33 Escoto, Russel (R) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1992–12–04 Far Eastern F 78 Salva, Nico 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 194 lb (88 kg) 1990–03–08 Ateneo F/C 81 Ballesteros, Jason 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1985–10–07 San Sebastian F 88 Eriobu, Joseph (R) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1992–02–12 Mapúa F 91 Apinan, Jeckster 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 181 lb (82 kg) 1987–01–09 José Rizal	Head coach Manny Pacquiao Assistant coach(es) Chris Gavina (1st Assistant) Rob Wainwright Romulo Orillosa Marlon Martin Alex Angeles Rich Alvarez Joe Lipa (Consultant) Team manager Eric Pineda Joe Ramos (Assistant) Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (IN) Inactive (S) Suspended (R) Rookie Injured Roster

Head coaches

Mahindra Enforcers head coaches
2014 season Name Start End Seasons Overall Record Best finish W L PCT G Manny Pacquiao 2014 Incumbent 2

All-time roster

Local Players

(A-F) Agovida, KeithKeith Agovida (2016) Aguilar, RaymondRaymond Aguilar Alvarez, RichRich Alvarez (2014-2016) Apinan, JecksterJeckster Apinan (2016-present) Araña, RyanRyan Araña (2016-present) Avenido, LeoLeo Avenido Bagatsing, HyramHyram Bagatsing (2014-2016) Ballesteros, JasonJason Ballesteros (2016-present) Buensuceso, JRJR Buensuceso (2014-2015) Burtscher, MikeMike Burtscher (2014-2015) Canaleta, NiñoNiño Canaleta (2015-2016) Cawaling, JRJR Cawaling (2015) Celda, RedenReden Celda (2016-present) de Vera, LeodanielLeodaniel de Vera Dehesa, KarlKarl Dehesa (2014-2016) Deutchman, JasonJason Deutchman (2015, 2016-present) DiGregorio, MichaelMichael DiGregorio (2015-present) Elorde, NicoNico Elorde (2016-present) Eriobu, JosephJoseph Eriobu (2016-present) Escoto, RusselRussel Escoto (2016-present) (G-L) Galanza, BongBong Galanza (2016-present) Guinto, BradwynBradwyn Guinto (2015-2016) Ighalo, KennethKenneth Ighalo (2014-2015) Jaime, ChitoChito Jaime (2014-2016) (M-R) Mallari, AlexAlex Mallari (2016-present) Mandani, A.J.A.J. Mandani (2016-present) Nimes, JosanJosan Nimes (2016-present) Nuyles, AlexAlex Nuyles (2015) Pacquiao, EmmanuelEmmanuel Pacquiao (2014-present) Paniamogan, PhilipPhilip Paniamogan (2016-present) Pascual, KyleKyle Pascual (2014-2016) Pinto, JohnJohn Pinto (2015-2016) Poligrates, EliudEliud Poligrates (2015) Ramos, AldrechAldrech Ramos (2015-2016) Revilla, L.A.L.A. Revilla (2014-present) (S-Z) Salva, NicoNico Salva (2016-present) Taha, PaoloPaolo Taha (2016) Villamor, DenniceDennice Villamor (2016-present) Webb, JoshuaJoshua Webb Yee, MarkMark Yee (2015-present)

Import Players
(A-F) Chang, JetJet Chang (G-L) Gilchrist, AugustusAugustus Gilchrist (M-R) N'Diaye, HamadyHamady N'Diaye Ramos, Peter JohnPeter John Ramos (S-Z) White, JamesJames White

Season-by-season records

Records from the 2015–16 PBA season:

Conf.	Team name	Elimination round				Playoffs
		Finish	W	L	PCT	Stage	Results
PHI	Mahindra Enforcers	9/12	2	9	.182	Did not qualify
COM		9/12	4	7	.364	Did not qualify
GOV		5/12	6	5	.545	Quarterfinals	Mahindra vs Meralco
Total playoffs			0	0	–	0 Finals appearances
Total 2015-16			12	21	.364	0 championships
Total franchise			22	44	.333	0 championships

*one-game playoffs
**team had the twice-to-beat advantage

See also

• Mahindra Floodbuster draft history

References

1. PBA approves entry of new teams NLEX, Kia, Blackwater for next season Rey Joble, InterAksyon.com, April 10, 2014
2. PBA readies dispersal draft Joaquin Henson, philstar.com, June 4, 2014
3. PBA: GlobalPort denies trading to Ginebra its 2014 first round pick Snow Badua, SportsDesk, Jun 13,2014
4. Kia names Manny Pacquiao head coach of their expansion team, GMA News Online, June 9, 2014
5. Kia puts up contest for PBA team name, 15 finalists to win US trip to watch NBA game, Joshua Lopez, InterAksyon.com, May 29, 2014
6. Kia finally settles on a moniker for PBA team - and it's neither Kamao nor Pride, Snow Badua, spin.ph, August 24, 2014
7. "PBA: Call them the 'Kia Kamao' says Pacquiao". GMA Network Online. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
8. Badua, Snow (23 January 2015). "KIA changing moniker of PBA ballclub from Sorento to Carnival - seriously". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
9. "PBA ballclub rolls out new name, switches from KIA Carnival to Mahindra Enforcers". Spin.ph. July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
10. "PBA: Kia plans to change name to 'Mahindra Enforcers'". Inquirer.net. July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
11. "PBA team Mahindra's new training facility". Rappler. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.