By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Iloilo United Royals added another big name to their talented pool of players after signing former Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix superstar Mark Nonoy for the upcoming Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2024 season.
A newly-crowned champion in the UAAP Men’s basketball tournament with the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, Nonoy is looking to bring his winning mentality to the United Royals and will play under an Ilonggo head coach, MC Abolucion.
Iloilo made everything official after posting a photo with Nonoy during his signing ceremony posted in their Facebook page.
Afterward, Nonoy also announced that he is turning professional on his official Instagram account: “It’s official! Excited to play for the Iloilo United Royals in the upcoming MPBL season. Another chapter unlocked! To God be the Glory.”
The former UAAP Rookie of the Year became a crucial piece to DLSU’s Season 86 championship campaign after raising his shooting efficiency in the last phase of the second round of the preliminaries up to the post-season.
From a run-and-gun style he adapted when he was still playing under coach Aldin Ayo at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) during his rookie year, Nonoy became deadlier when he developed his outside shooting and pull-up perimeter jumper game.
Nonoy will also be reuniting with his former UST teammate CJ Cansino, who also signed with the United Royals during the past week.
As teammates, the duo led the Growling Tigers to a UAAP grand finals appearance but eventually lost against the more experienced Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) squad led by Thirdy Ravena and Ange Kouame.
Joining Nonoy and Cansino in Iloilo is Lambunao’s pride, Omar Larupay, a high-flying power forward who was also a part of last season’s roster of the United Royals.
