Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire

The Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire (also shortened as Sarangani Gripper) is a Filipino professional basketball team based in Alabel, Sarangani. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. The team most recently played its home games at Sarangani Capitol Gymnasium.

Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire
2025 Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire season
Leagues	MBA (1998–2001) MPBL (2019–present) Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 (formerly)
Founded	1998; 27 years ago (1998) (first incarnation) 2019; 6 years ago (2019) (first incarnation)
History	SocSarGen Marlins 1998–2001 SocSarGen-Taguig Marlins 2001 Soccsksargen Marlins 2019 Sarangani Marlins 2019–2024 Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire 2025–present
Arena	Sarangani Capitol Gymnasium (last used in 2023)
Location	Alabel, Sarangani
Team colors
Main sponsor	Gripper Motorcycle Tire
Head coach	Ronnie Dojillo

The team's first incarnation began play in 1998 as a charter team of the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA). The team was known as the SocSarGen Marlins, then became the SocSarGen-Taguig Marlins in 2001 Second Phase upon relocating to Taguig. The Marlins then returned for the MPBL in the 2019–20 season, going by the Soccsksargen Marlins as a nod to its original incarnation. Amidst a restructuring due to the team's game-fixing scandal in 2019, the team's name was changed to its current form.

The Marlins are one of five teams based in Mindanao and one of two based in the Soccsksargen region, the other being the GenSan Warriors.

History

First incarnation (1998–2001)

As one of the most talented teams in the South, the SocSarGen Marlins were able to reach the quarterfinals in the MBA's inaugural season. The Marlins were bannered by veteran PBA campaigners Maximo Delantes and Teroy Albarillo. SocSarGen finished its regular season record with 11 wins as against 11 losses, good for fourth spot in the Southern Conference. The Marlins' hardworking cager Maximo Delantes figured prominently in the MVP race but couldn't make it to the MBA mythical five due to his team's disastrous stints in each of the playoffs.

Coach Biboy Ravanes was replaced by fellow ex-pro Willie Generalao at the Marlins' bench at the start of the 2000 MBA season. SocSarGen was fifth in the standings in the Southern Conference with four wins and eight losses.

In 2001, the team relocated to Taguig and became the SocSarGen-Taguig Marlins in the second phase conference. The Marlins finished last in both phases of the 2001 MBA season with a combined record of five wins and 23 losses.

Second incarnation (2019–present)

Former logo of the Sarangani Marlins.

In the 2019, the Marlins returned to the basketball scene with the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. The team was also relocated back to Mindanao, this time in the Soccsksargen region, joining the GenSan Warriors, which joined the league in the previous season. Heading into the 2019–20 season, the team was named the Soccsksargen Marlins, a nod to its original name and having a full regional scope.

On November 4, 2019, the team was suspended due to game-fixing allegations.^[1] Management of the team had to be turned over and the team would later be renamed the Sarangani Marlins. The team, however, finished with only one win out of 30 games, the win came against Quezon City. With a .033 win percentage, the Marlins hold the worst record in league history.

In the 2021 MPBL Invitational, the team was drawn into Group C, but failed to make the playoff tournament, only getting one win against Muntinlupa. The team would make a push in the 2022 season, with players like Kit Jimenez, the team was able to finish with the third-best record in the South Division with a 16-5 record. Jimenez would also record the league's first quaruple-double late in the regular season.^[2] The Marlins would unfortunately lose in an upset against sixth-seeded Rizal in the First Round of the 2022 playoffs.

For the 2023 season, Jeff Viernes would join the team. Viernes then recorded the league's first 50-point game in a win against Nueva Ecija.^[3]

Current roster

Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire roster

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Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From 1 John Carlos Escalambre 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) G/F 2 Carl Ewron Gaa 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) G 3 Joe Gomez de Liaño 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) F 4 Richard Velchez 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G 5 Jeymark Mallari 6 Danzel Gomez (HG) OLFU G 7 Kyt Jimenez 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 1997–03–21 UPHSD G 11 Jomar Magdayag (HG) 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) F 12 Martin Gozum 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) F/C 13 Coy Alves 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) C 16 Arvie Bringas 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Far Eastern F 17 Orin Catacutan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) UE G 23 Adven Jess Diputado 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) National-U G 24 Junjie Hallare 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) St. Clare G/F 25 Ahron Decano G 30 Charles Callano 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) F 31 Benjie Jimenez F/C 34 King Destacamento 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) San Beda Alabang F 52 Larce Christian Sunga 93 Ken Brilliantes 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Letran 94 Carlos Fenequito (HG) G — Tricky Peromingan (HG) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Adamson

Head coach John Kallos Assistant coach(es) Cris Bautista Andrew Belarmino Nolet Boringot Norlan Boringot Gilbert Cole Jester Macabagdal Ryan Monteclaro Legend (HG) Homegrown (FF) Filipino-foreigner (SGL) Special Guest Licensee (RS) Reserve player Injured Roster – via Genius Sports Updated as of: March 8, 2025

Head coaches

Sarangani Gripper Motorcycle Tire head coaches
#	Name	Start	End	Achievements	Ref.
1	Biboy Simon	2019	2019	—
2	Bong Melocoton	2019	2019	—
3	Manuel Torralba, Jr	2019	2019–20	—
4	John Kallos	2021	2025	—
5	Ronnie Dojillo	2025	current	—

Notable players

Individual award winners

MPBL Rookie of the Year Kyt Jimenez – 2022

MPBL All-Star Day

All-Star selections Pari Llagas – 2020 Kyt Jimenez – 2022 Ryan Sual – 2024

PBA players

Ex-PBA players Paul Alvarez (returned to PBA) Gabby Espinas Norman Gonzales Marvin Hayes Jeff Viernes

Drafted to PBA Kyt Jimenez – 76th overall, season 48

Season-by-season records

	League champions
	Division champions
	Qualified for playoffs
	Best regular season record

Metropolitan Basketball Association

Season	GP	Win	Lost	Pct.
1998	22	11	11	.500
1999	30	10	20	.333
2000
2001 – First Phase
2001 – Second Phase

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

Records as of the 2024 MPBL season:

Season	Regular season							Playoffs
	Division	Finish	GP	W	L	PCT	GB	Stage	Results
Sarangani Marlins
2019–20 Lakan Season	South	15th	30	1	29	.033	25	Did not qualify
2022	South	3rd	21	16	5	.762	2	Division quarterfinals	lost vs. Rizal, 0–2
2023	South	10th	28	11	17	.393	12	Did not qualify
2024	South	12th	28	5	23	.179	16
Sarangani Gripper Motorcyclce Tire
2025	TBA	To be determined						To be determined
All-time regular season record			107	33	74	.308		1 playoff appearance
All-time playoff record			2	0	2	.000		0 Finals appearances
All-time overall record			109	33	76	.303		0 championships