Wikipedia - Marikina Shoemasters

The Marikina Shoemasters are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Marikina. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. They are one of four teams based in Metro Manila's Eastern District and play their home games at Marikina Sports Center.

The team began play as an expanion team fir the 2018–19 season. The name references Marikina's moniker as the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines".

The team has also participated in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3. In 2023, the Shoemasters launched its junior side, the Marikina Junior Shoemasters, for the inaugural season of the Junior MPBL. Later that same year, their women's volleyball counterpart, the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, began play in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA).

History

2018–2020: Founding and initial struggles

The Marikina Shoemasters were established in 2018, as part of the MPBL's expansion lineup for the 2018–19 season. As part of the South Division, the Shoemasters, led by Yves Sazon and Erwin Sta. Maria, only managed to win eight games out of 25, putting the team at 11th place in the South.

Heading into the 2019–20 season, Marikina was realigned to the North Division, and despite keeping the same core players, the team still only won eight games in the 30-game season, putting the team at 13th in the North and missing the playoffs once again.

2022–present: Making the playoffs

The Shoemasters entered the 2022 season with a rebuilt roster led by Lorenzo Joson. Although the team only finished with an 8–13 record, it was enough to give Marikina its first playoff appearance. The team would then be swept by the undefeated Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in the First Round. Although Joson would leave the team for General Santos in 2023, Marikina would add Felipe Chavez and collegiate player Marwin Dionisio alongside Joe Gomez de Liaño to its roster.

In 2023, Marikina went on to have a tough playoff race against the Bataan Risers, which Marikina won in the final week as they claimed the eighth seed once again. On top of that, Marikina finished 16–12, their first winning record in franchise history. In the playoffs, the Shoemasters would be swept by the top seed Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the First Round.

Marikina would also broaden its venture into sports development around this time. The Marikina Junior Shoemasters joined as part of the founding lineup of the youth-oriented Junior MPBL. Its women's volleyball counterpart, the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, was also established and will play in the inaugural season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA).

Marikina Shoemasters je filipínsky basketbalový tím, ktorý v súčasnosti hrá v Asociácii amatérskych basketbalových líg (ABL). Tím bol založený v roku 2014 a sídli v meste Marikina City v Metro Manila. Shoemasters sú vlastnení a prevádzkovaní spoločnosťou Marikina Sports Council a ich domovskou arénou je Marikina Sports Complex.

Tím vedie hlavný tréner, bývalý filipínsky reprezentant Jong Uichico. V súčasnej zostave Shoemasters sú niektorí z najlepších filipínskych hráčov vrátane Rogera Pogoy, Jeffa Chan a Christiana Standhardingera.

Shoemasters získali svoj prvý titul ABL v sezóne 2017-18 po tom, čo vo finále porazili Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions. V sezóne 2019-20 získali svoj druhý titul ABL po tom, čo vo finále porazili Mono Vampire z Thajska.

Shoemasters sú jedným z najúspešnejších filipínskych basketbalových tímov v histórii ABL. Sú známi svojou tvrdou hrou a oddanosti tímovej práci.