From Purefoods TJ Giants to the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados.

No matter what its name is, one thing is certain for this San Miguel Beer team – its passion for excellence remains as its top priority, and so do its character and determination.

Small wonder, the management has retained the members of the squad that just gave them a new high by winning the PBA Philippine Cup in grand fashion.

Since they are hoping to add another page to a glorious chapter this season, B-Meg is doing everything to sign up an import whose talent is NBA material.

“We’ll do whatever it takes to win,” said B-Meg coach Ryan Gregorio, who tried to downplay their label as the team to beat in the coming Fiesta Cup which starts on Sunday.

“It is logical for them (other PBA coaches) to give us a high seeding because of what we did in the last conference,” he said. “But I honestly feel that the Fiesta Cup is largely dependent on the kind of reinforcement that you sign-up.

“We will be up to the challenge, we are definitely shooting for a chance to win back-to-back titles,” Gregorio added.

The Llamados were formally presented Wednesday in a press conference at the A-Venue in Makati City, and Gregorio said they will go for another championship to complete its magical season.

Aside from the coaching staff and players, led by James Yap, the Best Player of the Conference and Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), also present were SMC-Purefoods president Butch Alejo, SMC Foods vice president and general manager Dr. Norman Ramos, and team representative Rene Pardo.

Last month in the Philippine Cup, Purefoods scored a stunning sweep of top seed Alaska in the best-of-seven Finals series for its eighth overall championship and fifth in an all-Filipino conference to tie the all-time record of Crispa.

In the Finals, the Giants were the underdogs considering Alaska’s mighty show in the semis where they swept the Ginebra Kings in their best-of-seven series.

However, while Gregorio likes the underdog tag, he said it’s now impossible to use it as they are now known as “Llamados” – a Spanish word that means the heavy favorites.

“It might have an impact. We’re used to playing as the complete underdogs. With the monicker, I can never use it again,” he said.