PBA: Macau Black Bears to see action in Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup

The Macau Black Bears in the EASL. Handout photo/EASL.MANILA — The Macau Black Bears are set to see action in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, the league announced Friday afternoon.

PBA officials and Macau management formally signed a memorandum of agreement to make the Black Bears a “special guest team” in the mid-season conference, marking them as the third foreign squad to participate in the import-laden tournament.

The Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup tips off on March 11.

In Season 47, the Bay Area Dragons joined the conference and reached the Finals before falling to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. The following year, Hong Kong Eastern competed in Season 48.

The same concessions granted to Bay Area and Hong Kong Eastern will also be extended to Macau, as agreed upon during the contract signing held in Macau. Commissioner Willie Marcial and Board Vice Chairman Alfrancis Chua personally met with the Black Bears’ top brass.

The Black Bears, coached by Garrett Kelly, have been a familiar fixture in leagues around Asia.

They previously campaigned in the now-defunct ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), currently compete in the East Asia Super League (EASL), and also see action in other Asian tournaments.

Prolific guard Damian Chongqui, Omari Peek-Green, Phoenix Shackelford, and 7-foot-6 center Sam Deguara are among the notable names on the Black Bears’ roster.