Mahindra Enforcer (PBA team)

Mahindra Enforcer
History
Kia Sorento (2014–2015) Kia Carnival (2015) Mahindra Enforcer (2015–present)
Joined PBA	2014
Team colors	Red, black, white, gold
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 Enforcer are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The team was originally known as Kia Sorento and Kia Carnival during its debut season (2014–2015). The team is owned by Columbian Autocar Corporation, the exclusive distributor of Mahindra and Kia automobiles in the Philippines.

History

Kia Sorento/Carnival
Uniforms
Light uniform	Dark uniform

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)

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]

The Mahindra Enforcers 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]

Team roster

Mahindra Enforcer roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From F/C 1 Ramos, Aldrech 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1988–04–03 FEU G 2 Revilla, L.A. 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 146 lb (66 kg) 1989–11–30 La Salle G/F 3 Ighalo, Kenneth (IN) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1989–01–11 Mapúa F/C 5 Guinto, Bradwyn (R) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1991–10–20 San Sebastian G 7 DiGregorio, Michael (R) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1990–12–12 McKendree G 8 Pinto, Nard John 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1990–10–15 Arellano F 9 Canaleta, Niño 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1982–02–12 UE G/F 10 Webb, Joshua 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1989–11–14 La Salle G 12 Hubalde, Paulo (C / IN) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1981–01–24 UE F/C 13 Paredes, Philip (IN) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1992–01–12 La Salle F 15 Aguilar, Raymond 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1986–10–30 NU G 17 Pacquiao, Manny (IN) 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) 151 lb (68 kg) 1978–12–17 NDDU G 18 Elorde, Nico (R) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 155 lb (70 kg) 1991–10–04 Ateneo F 27 Yee, Mark 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1982–01–04 San Sebastian (Cavite) F 28 Jaime, Chito (IN) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1983–10–21 AMA F 31 de Vera, Leodaniel (R) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 1989–07–04 San Sebastian G 32 Bagatsing, Hyram 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1985–02–18 La Salle F/C 81 Ballesteros, Jason 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1985–10–07 San Sebastian G – Taha, Paolo 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1990–12–05 Benilde G/F – Agovida, Keith (R) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1990–02–14 Arellano	Head coach Manny Pacquiao Assistant coach(es) Chris Gavina (1st Assistant) Rob Wainwright Romulo Orillosa Alex Angeles Richard Alvarez Marlon Martin 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

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
COM
GOV
Total playoffs						Finals appearances
Total 2015-16						championships
Total franchise						championships

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

See also

• Mahindra Enforcer 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.