Defending champion Western Union and come backing team Spoliers will have a long time to prepare as the best of three championship series for the Filipino Basketball League (FBL) is set to start on January 8 at the Palau National gym.

Western Union gets a chance to defend its crown after closing their series with the Mam’l Divers Rangers with a 2-1 count while the Spoilers swept their series with a 2-0 tally against the Ilocandia Bulls.

According to FBL chairman Ronnie Giman, the knockout game for third place honors featuring the Rangers against the Ilocandia Bulls will be at 1 p.m. to be followed by Game One of the finals which will have Western Union taking the Spoilers at 2:30 p.m.

This year’s FBL is sponsored by Aqua Drinking Water, ATT Bar and Restaurant, Blue Bay Petroleum Inc., Budget Mart 1, CTSI Logistics/Western Union, Engr. Bobby Pineda, Galaxy Dexigner, Galaxy Builders, Kabayan Restaurant, MJ Trading and General Merchandise, Palasia Hotel, Palau Royal Resort, Palau Shipping Co., PITI, Sea Passion Hotel, Shimbros Inc., The Print Zone, The Taj Restaurant, VMJ Construction and WCTC. The FBL is under the supervision of the Palau Basketball Federation.   By Peter Erick L. Magbanua (Island Times News)