Marikina Shoemasters

The Marikina Shoemasters are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Marikina. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. The team most recently played its home games at the indoor arena of the Marikina Sports Center.

For its women's volleyball counterpart, see Marikina Lady Shoemasters.

Marikina Shoemasters
2025 Marikina Shoemasters season
League	MPBL PSL
Founded	2018; 7 years ago (2018)
History	Marikina Shoemasters 2018, 2020, 2022–2024, 2025–present Marikina Shoelanders 2019 Marikina Shoe City 2021 Verdiamonds Jewelry Incorp 2024–2025 Marikina Verdiamonds Jewellers 2025
Arena	Marikina Sports Center
Location	Marikina
Team colors
Head coach	Eric Sy

The Marikina franchise began play as an expansion team for the 2018–19 season. The mame references Marikina's moniker as the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines".

In 2023, the franchise launched its junior side, the Marikina Junior Shoemasters, for the inaugural season of the Junior MPBL. Later that year, their women's volleyball counterpart, the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, began play in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA).

The Marikina franchise is one of four teams based in the Eastern Manila District of Metro Manila. The team has also participated in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.^[1]

History

2018–2020

The Marikina Shoemasters were established in 2018, as part of the MPBL's expansion lineup for the 2018–19 season. As part of the South Division, the Shoemasters, led by Yves Sazon and Erwin Sta. Maria, only managed to win eight games out of 25, putting the team at 11th place in the South.

Heading into the 2019–20 season, Marikina was realigned to the North Division, and despite keeping the same core players, the team still only won eight games in the 30-game season, putting the team at 13th in the North and missing the playoffs once again.

2022–present

The Shoemasters entered the 2022 season with a rebuilt roster led by Lorenzo Joson. Although the team only finished with an 8–13 record, it was enough to give Marikina its first playoff appearance. The team would then be swept by the undefeated Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in the First Round.^[2] Although Joson would leave the team for General Santos in 2023, Marikina would add Felipe Chavez and collegiate player Marwin Dionisio alongside Joe Gomez de Liaño to its roster. Marikina went on to have a tough playoff race against the Bataan Risers, which Marikina won in the final week as they claimed the eighth seed once again. On top of that, Marikina finished 16–12, their first winning record in franchise history. In the playoffs, the Shoemasters would be swept by the top seed Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the First Round.

Marikina would also broaden its venture into sports development around this time. The Marikina Junior Shoemasters joined as part of the founding lineup of the youth-oriented Junior MPBL. Its women's volleyball counterpart, the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, was also established and will play in the inaugural season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA).

After the 2023 season, Elvis Tolentino departed Marikina after four seasons with the team, bringing his coaching duties to South Cotabato. Rysal Castro succeeded his role beginning in 2024. The team, however, would fall to 13th after finishing with a 7–21 record.

In 2025, the franchise was acquired by Verdiamonds Jewelry Inc., which had owned a Malabon-based team in the Pilipinas Super League during its 2024–25 season. The team was then known as the Marikina Verdiamonds Jewellers before reverting back later in the season.

Home venues

The Marikina franchise first played their home games in the city's Marist School in the 2018–19 season. Starting with the 2019–20 season, the team began playing at the Marikina Sports Center, which would become their primary venue from 2022 onwards.

Venue	Location	2018–19	2019–20	2022	2023	2024	2025
Marist School (Marist School Gymnasium)	Marikina	Y	Y	N	N	N	TBA
Marikina Sports Center		N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y

Personnel

Current roster

Marikina Shoemasters roster

• v
• t
• e

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 1 Jomel Landayan (HG) 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) G 2 Jethro Escoto (HG) 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) F 7 Jude Codinera 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G 8 Miguel Castellano 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) G 9 Gama Evangelista Jr. 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) F 10 Andrei Igliane (SGL) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) C 12 Arman Demigaya 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) G 13 Sidney Mosqueda (SGL) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) F 14 Silas Zaballe (HG) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) G 15 Sancho Vitug 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) F 21 Kian Christopher Fontanilla 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) G 22 Ranzel Casajeros (HG) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Philippine Christian G 23 Jay-r Olavides (HG) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G 24 Gerald Anderson 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 1989-03-07 F 37 Jexter Tolentino 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Philippine Christian C 41 Marlon Basco 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 1978–06–10 Luzon F 77 Adzhar Udjan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

Head coach Rysal Castro Assistant coach(es) Jun De Jose Monroe Cueson John Paul Basilan Francis Arabit Legend (HG) Homegrown (FF) Filipino-foreigner (SGL) Special Guest Licensee (RS) Reserve player Injured Roster – via Genius Sports Updated as of: March 7, 2025

Head coaches

Marikina Shoemasters head coaches
#	Name	Start	End	Achievements	Ref.
1	Elvis Tolentino	2018	2023	—
2	Rysal Castro	2024	2024	—
3	Eric Sy	2025	current	—

Notable players

MPBL All-Star Day

All-Star selections Gerald Anderson – 2019 Ato Ular – 2019, 2020 Lorenzo Joson – 2022 Felipe Chavez – 2023

PBA players

Ex-PBA players Jondan Salvador Warren Ybañez

Drafted to PBA Ato Ular – 13th overall, season 47 Miguel Corteza – 20th overall, season 49

Season-by-season records

Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the 2024 MPBL season.

MPBL champions

Division champions

Playoff berth

Season	League	Division	Regular season						Playoffs
			Finish	Played	Wins	Losses	Win %	GB	Round	Results
Marikina Shoemasters
2018–19	MPBL	South	11th	25	8	17	.320	12	Did not qualify
2019–20	MPBL	North	13th	30	8	22	.267	18	Did not qualify
2022	MPBL	North	8th	21	8	13	.381	13	Division quarterfinals	lost vs. Nueva Ecija, 0–2
2023	MPBL	North	8th	28	16	12	.571	10	Division quarterfinals	lost vs. Pampanga, 0–2
2024	MPBL	North	13th	28	7	21	.250	19	Did not qualify
2025	MPBL	North	Ongoing season						Currently in playoff contention
Regular season record				132	47	85	.356		2 playoff appearances
Playoff record				4	0	4	.000		0 finals appearances
Cumulative record				136	47	89	.346		0 championships