The Quezon Huskers are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of Quezon. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of five active teams based in Calabarzon and play their home games at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena.
| Quezon Huskers | |
|---|---|
 2024 Quezon Huskers season | |
 | |
| League | URBL (2004–2005) MPBL (2023–present) PSL (2023–present) |
| Founded | 2004 (first incarnation) 2023 (second incarnation) |
| History | Quezon Coco Huskers 2004–2005 (URBL) Quezon Huskers 2023–present (MPBL) Quezon Titans 2023–present (PSL) |
| Arena | Quezon Convention Center |
| Location | Lucena, Quezon |
| Team colors | |
| Head coach | Eric Gonzales |
| Championships | PSL: 1 (2024) |
| Conference titles | MPBL: 1 (2024) |
The team's first incarnation was the Quezon Coco Huskers of the United Regional Basketball League (URBL). The team ran from 2004 until 2005. The Huskers were then revived as an expansion team for the MPBL's 2023 season alongside the Negros Muscovados.[1] The team also competes Pilipinas Super League (PSL) under the name Quezon Titans. The Huskers also have a volleyball counterpart in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association in the Quezon Tangerines.[2]
Owned by the Provincial Government of Quezon,[3][4] the Quezon-based franchise won one championship, during the PSL's President's Cup in 2024.[5]
History
editFirst incarnation (2004–2005)
editThe team began play in 2004, when it was part of the now-defunct URBL.
Second incarnation (2023–present)
editMaharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
editIn January 2023, the MPBL announced that the league would be getting a new expansion team for the 2023 season. Later that month, Quezon Governor Angelina Tan announced that the team would be based in the province of Quezon. The team's name was later revealed as the Quezon Huskers.[1] With the Huskers joining, Quezon became the last province in Calabarzon to have an MPBL team.
The team hosted the 2023 season opener, where they faced off against fellow expansion team Negros Muscovados. The Huskers pulled off a comeback in the second half to beat the Muscovados, 82–80.[3] The Huskers would then go on a seven-game winning streak to begin their inaugural season and eventually finish with a record of 19–9, clinching the fifth seed in the South Division. Quezon became the first team in the professional era to make the playoffs in its inaugural season. Despite forcing a game 3 in the First Round, the team would lose to the defending South champion Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines.
Pilipinas Super League
editIn October 2023, Quezon announced its entry to the PSL during the MPBL offseason. The team will be referred to as the Quezon Titans.
Team identity
editThe name Huskers alludes to Quezon Province's moniker as the "Coconut Capital of the Philippines'. It can also be a nod to the team's previous incarnation.
When the Huskers joined the MPBL in 2023, Governor Angelina Tan also announced a name-the-team contest, where anyone based in Quezon Province can submit a concept design of the team's identity. The contest was won by Ardocir Torio from Lucena, with an illustration of a carabao breaking the shell of a coconut. The same logo would be later used for the Quezon Junior Huskers. For their PSL debut later that year, the team used the Titans moniker.
Current roster
edit| Players | Coaches |
|---|---|
Updated as of: April 20, 2024 |
Head coaches
edit- Eric Gonzales (2023–present)
Notable players
editMPBL All-Star Day
edit|
|
PBA players
editSeason-by-season records
edit| League champions | |
| Division champions | |
| Qualified for playoffs | |
| Best regular season record |
Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
edit| Season | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Finish | GP | W | L | PCT | GB | Stage | Results | |
| Quezon Huskers | |||||||||
| 2023 | South | 5th | 28 | 19 | 9 | .679 | 4 | Division quarterfinals | lost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2 |
| 2024 | South | 1st | 28 | 21 | 7 | .750 | – | Division quarterfinals Division semifinals Division finals National finals |
won vs. Negros, 2–0 won vs. Parañaque, 2–0 won vs. Batangas City, 2–1 TBD vs. Pampanga |
| All-time regular season record | 56 | 40 | 16 | .714 | 2 playoff appearances | ||||
| All-time playoff record | 10 | 7 | 3 | .700 | 1 Finals appearances | ||||
| All-time overall record | 66 | 47 | 19 | .712 | 0 championships | ||||
Pilipinas Super League
edit| Season | Elimination round | Playoffs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | PCT | Stage | Results | ||||
| Quezon Titans | |||||||||
| 2023–24 President's Cup |
5th | 14 | 4 | .778 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals |
won vs. Novaliches, 1–0 won vs. Caloocan, 2–0 won vs. Biñan, 2–0 won vs. Nueva Ecija, 3–1 | |||
| All-time elimination round record | 14 | 4 | .778 | 1 playoff appearance | |||||
| All-time playoff record | 8 | 1 | .889 | 1 Finals appearance | |||||
| All-time overall record | 22 | 5 | .815 | 1 championship | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b "MPBL welcomes Quezon Province, Negros Muscovados". Manila Bulletin. January 30, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ Ulanday, John Bryan (June 26, 2024). "Quezon Tangerines vying in MPVA". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
- ^ a b "Quezon Huskers edge Negros for first win in MPBL". The Manila Times. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ Terrado, Reuben (March 11, 2023). "Quezon Huskers eye playoff berth in maiden stint in MPBL". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ Saldajeno, Ivan (April 16, 2024). "Destiny fulfilled as Quezon pulls away late from Nueva Ecija to win PSL title". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved July 14, 2024.