The Ilagan City is gunning for the playoffs in its first stint in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 7th Season.

Cowboys coach Louie Gonzalez set the target after assembling a competitive team for the country’s biggest regional tournament starting on 8 March at the Capital Arena in the City of Ilagan, the provincial capital.

“I’m very happy, barely two weeks, and the players, including the homegrowns, are already showing chemistry,” Gonzalez said.

“They have built a relationship and trust each other.”

Gonzalez, coach of the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association last year, said his work as an MPBL game analyst up to the 6th Season enabled him to select players that would fit into his system, complement each other, and withstand the rigors of the long season ahead.

“The best ability is availability,” Gonzalez said.

“I envision a team that could adjust to whatever brand of play they would encounter.”

To achieve that, the Cowboys, headed by crack point guard Philip Manalang and homegrowns Allan Mina and Guilmer dela Torre, underwent a one-week training camp where they bonded with each other and built rapport with the locals.

Also on the Cowboys’ roster are Mark Dyke, 6-foot-7 Dave Ando, Macoy Marcos, JR Olegario, Joshua Gallano, Joshua Ramirez, Ryan Reyes, Ryan Arenal, Allan Santos and Andre Duremdes, son of MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.

Other homegrowns are Aldrin Adorno, Shawn Bautista, Efraim Boado and Victor Buraga.

Being finalized is the acquisition of Ilagan City icon Val Acuna.