FACING CHALLENGES
How it can compete against the big boys of the Philippine Basketball Association would very well be the biggest question surrounding the potential buyer of the NorthPort franchise.
Inquirer sources over the weekend identified Pureblends Corporation as the food and beverage company that is in talks over the possibility of taking over the spot of the Batang Pier, whose impending exit was deemed an “open secret” during the past season.
NorthPort and PBA officials have been mum or unaware of the discussions ever since it was revealed last week that negotiations have been ongoing, though commissioner Willie Marcial had said that the league has a scheduled board meeting in the first week of September.
The NorthPort situation could likely be tackled during that meeting, especially with the Rookie Draft slated for Sept. 7.
There’s still a sense of caution over the NorthPort situation, given that Terrafirma twice failed to secure a deal to sell its franchise last season.
Terrafirma initially had an agreement with Starhorse Shipping Lines, but financial reasons resulted in the deal’s collapse. Negotiations with the Zamboanga Valientes later on ended up without the two parties reaching common ground.
The Dyip are staying for the 50th season, which starts in October, but their long-term future remains up in the air as the franchise could still be put up for sale, according to other insiders.
No stranger
The entry of Pureblends into the picture seems like a surprise, given that the Caloocan-based company has been in existence for only a decade, specializing in food mixes, particularly for baking purposes.
Pureblends is owned by Bryann Calantoc, who is said to be a friend of NorthPort coach Bonnie Tan. Calantoc is no stranger to the basketball scene, having played in alumni leagues, including for a team of fellow University of Santo Tomas graduates in PinoyLiga.
His company also backed a team in last year’s Pilipinas Super League, going 2-9 in the 2024-2025 President’s Cup as the Pureblends Black Fox.
If a deal materializes, Pureblends will inherit a roster that still has capable scorer Joshua Munzon, hard-nosed Cade Flores plus Calvin Abueva, who NorthPort got after dealing William Navarro to Magnolia in the 2025 Philippine Cup eliminations.
But several Batang Pier players from the previous season have either departed, most notably Arvin Tolentino, and more recently, Paolo Taha and Allyn Bulanadi, or are entertaining exhibition games, like Abueva, Jio Jalalon and Sidney Onwubere.
