Marikina Shoemasters

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Marikina Shoemasters
2024 Marikina Shoemasters season
League	MPBL
Founded	2018; 6 years ago (2018)
History	Marikina Shoemasters 2018–2020, 2022–present Marikina Shoe City 2021
Arena	Marikina Sports Center
Location	Marikina
Team colors
Head coach	Rysal Castro

The Marikina Shoemasters 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. They are one of three teams based in Metro Manila's Eastern District and play their home games at Marikina Sports Center.

The team began play as an expansion team for the 2018–19 season. The name references Marikina's moniker as the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines".

The team has also participated in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.^[1] In 2023, the Shoemasters launched its junior side, the Marikina Junior Shoemasters, for the inaugural season of the Junior MPBL. Later that same year, their women's volleyball counterpart, the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, began play in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA).

The Marikina Shoemasters were established in 2018, as part of the MPBL's expansion lineup for the 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 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.

The Shoemasters entered the 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.^[2] Although Joson would leave the team for General Santos in 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 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. Rysal Castro is set to succeed his role beginning in 2024.

The Marikina Shoemasters first played their home games in the city's 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.

Venue	Location	2018–19	2019–20	2022	2023	2024
Marist School (Marist School Gymnasium)	Marikina	Y	Y	N	N	N
Marikina Sports Center		N	Y	Y	Y	N

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (January 2024)