Marikina Shoemasters

{{Short description|Professional basketball team in Marikina, Philippines}} {{For|its women's volleyball counterpart|Marikina Lady Shoemasters}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use Philippine English|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox basketball club | name = Marikina Shoemasters | current = 2026 Marikina Shoemasters season | logo = File:Marikina Shoemasters MPBL_logo.png | logo_size = 200px | league = [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] [[Pilipinas Super League|PSL]] | founded = {{start date and age|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]] | colors = {{color box|#{{MPBL color|Marikina Shoemasters|1}}}} {{color box|#{{MPBL color|Marikina Shoemasters|3}}}} | sponsor = BigZ Burger | coach = [[Angelo Nebres]] | championship = | pattern l = | body l = |patterns l = |shorts l = | title l = | pattern d = | body d = | patterns d = | shorts d = | title d = }}

The '''Marikina Shoemasters''', also known as '''Marikina BigZ Burger''' for sponsorship reasons, 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 (MPBL)|North Division]]. The team most recently played its home games at the indoor arena of the [[Marikina Sports Center]].

The Marikina [[Franchising|franchise]] began play as an expansion team for the [[2018–19 MPBL season|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]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Li |first1=Matthew |title=Dream come true for 'starstruck' Gerald Anderson to play in Chooks 3×3 |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/dream-come-true-starstruck-gerald-anderson-play-chooks-3x3/142254 |access-date=1 April 2019 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=2 March 2019}}</ref>

== History ==

=== 2018–2020 === The Marikina Shoemasters were established in 2018, as part of the MPBL's expansion lineup for the [[2018–19 MPBL season|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 MPBL season|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 MPBL season|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.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-10-23 |title=MPBL: Bataan survives Pampanga in OT for QF decider as Nueva Ecija cruises to semis |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/mpbl-bataan-survives-pampanga-in-ot-for-qf-decider-as-nueva-ecija-cruises-to-semis/253211 |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Although Joson would leave the team for [[GenSan Warriors|General Santos]] in [[2023 MPBL season|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 [[2023 MPVA season|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 Warriors|South Cotabato]]. Rysal Castro succeeded his role beginning in [[2024 MPBL season|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 Pilipinas Super League season|2024–25 season]]. The team was then known as the '''Marikina Verdiamonds Jewellers''' before reverting later in the season.

== Home venues == The Marikina franchise first played their home games in the city's [[Marist School (Marikina)|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.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Venue ! Location ! [[2018–19 MPBL season|2018–19]] ! [[2019–20 MPBL season|2019–20]] ! [[2022 MPBL season|2022]] ! [[2023 MPBL season|2023]] ! [[2024 MPBL season|2024]] ! [[2025 MPBL season|2025]] |- | align=left | [[Marist School (Marikina)|Marist School]] {{small|(Marist School Gymnasium)}} | align=left rowspan=2 | [[Marikina]] | bgcolor="CFFFCF" | {{y}} | bgcolor="CFFFCF" | {{y}} | bgcolor="FFCFCF" | {{n}} | bgcolor="FFCFCF" | {{n}} | bgcolor="FFCFCF" | {{n}} | bgcolor="FFCFCF" | {{n}} |- | align=left | [[Marikina Sports Center]] | bgcolor="FFCFCF" | {{n}} | bgcolor="CFFFCF" | {{y}} | bgcolor="CFFFCF" | {{y}} | bgcolor="CFFFCF" | {{y}} | bgcolor="FFCFCF" | {{n}} | bgcolor="CFFFCF" | {{y}} |}

== Personnel ==

=== Current roster === {{Marikina Shoemasters roster}}

=== Head coaches === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! colspan="6" style="{{MPBL color cell|Marikina Shoemasters}}" | Marikina Shoemasters head coaches |- ! style="{{MPBL color cell2|Marikina Shoemasters}}" | # ! style="{{MPBL color cell2|Marikina Shoemasters}}" | Name ! style="{{MPBL color cell2|Marikina Shoemasters}}" | Start ! style="{{MPBL color cell2|Marikina Shoemasters}}" | End ! style="{{MPBL color cell2|Marikina Shoemasters}}" class="unsortable" | Achievements ! style="{{MPBL color cell2|Marikina Shoemasters}}" class="unsortable" | Ref. |- | align=center | 1 || {{sortname|Elvis|Tolentino}} | [[2018–19 MPBL season|2018]] || [[2023 MPBL season|2023]] | align=center | — | |- | align=center | 2 || {{sortname|Rysal|Castro}} | [[2024 MPBL season|2024]] || [[2024 MPBL season|2024]] | align=center | — | |- | align=center | 3 || {{sortname|Eric|Sy}} | [[2025 MPBL season|2025]] || [[2025 MPBL season|2025]] | align=center | — | |- | align=center | 4 || {{sortname|Angelo|Nebres}} | [[2025 MPBL season|2025]] || ''current'' | align=center | — | |}

== Notable players == === MPBL All-Star Day === {{col-begin}} {{col-3}} '''[[MPBL All-Star Game|All-Star selections]]''' * [[Gerald Anderson]] – [[2019 MPBL All-Star Game|2019]] * [[Ato Ular]] – 2019, [[2020 MPBL All-Star Game|2020]] * Lorenzo Joson – [[2022 MPBL All-Star Game|2022]] * Felipe Chavez – [[2023 MPBL All-Star Game|2023]] {{col-end}}

=== PBA players === {{col-begin}} {{col-3}} '''[[List of Philippine Basketball Association players|Ex-PBA players]]''' * [[Ed Daquioag]] * [[Jondan Salvador]] * [[Louie Vigil]] * [[Warren Ybañez]] {{col-3}} '''[[Philippine Basketball Association draft|Drafted to PBA]]''' * [[Ato Ular]] – 13th overall, [[PBA season 47 draft|season 47]] * [[Miguel Corteza]] – 20th overall, [[PBA season 49 draft|season 49]] {{col-end}}

=== Other notable players === * [[Gerald Anderson]]

== Season-by-season records == ''Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the [[2025 MPBL season]].''

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" | align="center" bgcolor="gold" | '''[[List of MPBL champions|MPBL champions]]'''  | align="center" bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | '''Division champions''' | align="center" bgcolor="#96CDCD" | '''Playoff berth'''  |}

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center; font-size:95%" |- ! rowspan=2 | Season ! rowspan=2 | League ! rowspan=2 | Division ! colspan=6 | Regular season ! colspan=2 | Playoffs |- ! Finish ! Played ! Wins ! Losses ! Win % ! GB ! Round ! Results |- | align="center" colspan="11" style="{{MPBL color cell|Marikina Shoemasters|border=2}}" | '''Marikina Shoemasters''' |-  | [[2018–19 MPBL season|2018–19]] | [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] || [[South Division (MPBL)|South]] | 11th || 25 || 8 || 17 || {{Winning percentage|8|17}} || 12 | rowspan="2" colspan=2 | Did not qualify |-  | [[2019–20 MPBL season|2019–20]] | [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] || [[North Division (MPBL)|North]] | 13th || 30 || 8 || 22 || {{Winning percentage|8|22}} || 18 |-  | [[2022 MPBL season|2022]] | [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] || [[North Division (MPBL)|North]] | bgcolor="#96CDCD" | 8th || 21 || 8 || 13 || {{Winning percentage|8|13}} || 13 | Division quarterfinals | lost vs. Nueva Ecija, 0–2 |-  | [[2023 MPBL season|2023]] | [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] || [[North Division (MPBL)|North]] | bgcolor="#96CDCD" | 8th || 28 || 16 || 12 || {{Winning percentage|16|12}} || 10 | Division quarterfinals | lost vs. Pampanga, 0–2 |-  | [[2024 MPBL season|2024]] | [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] || [[North Division (MPBL)|North]] | 13th || 28 || 7 || 21 || {{Winning percentage|7|21}} || 19 | rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Did not qualify |-  | [[2025 MPBL season|2025]] | [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League|MPBL]] || [[North Division (MPBL)|North]] | 14th || 29 || 4 || 25 || {{Winning percentage|4|25}} || 24 |- ! colspan=4 | Regular season record ! {{Sum|51|110}} !! 51 !! 110 !! {{Winning percentage|51|110}} ! rowspan=3 | ! colspan=2 | 2 playoff appearances |- ! colspan=4 | Playoff record ! {{Sum|0|4}} !! 0 !! 4 !! {{Winning percentage|0|4}} ! colspan=2 | 0 finals appearances |- ! colspan=4 | Cumulative record ! {{Sum|51|114}} !! 51 !! 114 !! {{Winning percentage|51|114}} ! colspan=2 | 0 championships |}

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Marikina Shoemasters}} {{navboxes|list= {{MPBL}} {{Metro Manila Sports}} }}

[[Category:Marikina Shoemasters]] [[Category:MPBL teams]] [[Category:Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 teams]] [[Category:2018 establishments in the Philippines]] [[Category:Basketball teams established in 2018]] [[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Metro Manila]] [[Category:Sports in Marikina]]