The Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the Zamboanga Peninsula. The team currently competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as the only team based in the Zamboanga Peninsula region, playing their home games at the Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur.
The team's history goes back to the 2018–19 MPBL season, when the Zamboanga Valientes joined the league as part of its major expansion. Ahead of the following season, however, management issues caused the MPBL side to split from the Valientes and relaunch as the Family's Brand Sardines. They have also played in Filbasket and in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.
The team is sponsored Universal Canning Inc. which owns the Family's Brand Sardines.
History
Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
The team first joined the MPBL as the league side of the Zamboanga Valientes in the 2018–19 season. Ahead of the 2019–20 season, the split and relaunched as the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines following undisclosed management issues. After its participation in the 2019–20 season, Zamboanga initially announced that it would not participate in the succeeding season and would decide on their status in the MPBL by 2022. Although a 2021 season never materialized, the team opted out of the 2021 Invitational, but later competed in the 2022 season.
Led by season MVP Jaycee Marcelino, Zamboanga clinched the top seed of the league's South Division, and booked its first MPBL Finals appearance after beating the Batangas City Embassy Chill in the South Division Finals. In the 2022 MPBL Finals, Zamboanga lost to the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in four games.
Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3
Family's Brand Sardines joined the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3, debuting in the 2020-21 season. For the President's Cup, they fielded a roster filled with national 3x3 players; Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike, Santi Santillan. The decision was made as part of the preparation of the Philippine national team for their participation in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The team won the President's Cup title, winning four of five legs including the Grand Final.
FIBA 3x3 World Tour
As winners of the 2020 President's Cup of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3, Zamboanga earned the right to play in the 2020 Fiba 3x3 World Tour Doha Masters. The team will play as "Manila Chooks" and will have to earn at least a fourth place finish to qualify for the 3x3 World Tour Jeddah Final.
Current roster
Head coaches
Notable players
Season-by-season records
Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
Records as of 2023 MPBL season: