Nueva Ecija Rice Makers

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

Founding and first season

In May 2019, Nueva Ecija formally joined the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as an expansion team for the league's 2019–20 season. Alvin Grey was the team's first head coach before being replaced by Charles Tiu mid-season. Nueva Ecija finished 11th in the North with a 10–20 record.

North Division contention and first championship

In the lead-up to the 2022 season, Nueva Ecija took part in the 2021 Invitational. After sweeping Group C, the Rice Vanguards reached the Finals against Basilan Jumbo Plastic, but lost due to Philip Manalang's championship-winning buzzer beater in overtime, thus settling for the runner-up spot. With additions such as Hesed Gabo, Will McAloney, and Michael Mabulac, together with their new head coach in Jerson Cabiltes, Nueva Ecija dominated the 2022 season with the league's first-ever regular season sweep, winning all 21 games. Mabulac was declared an all-star together with Bobby Balucanag, while Gabo and McAloney were both part of the All-MPBL First Team that season.

The Rice Vanguards then swept the first two rounds of the playoffs against Marikina and intraregional rivals Pampanga. A challenge then rose for the team in the North Division Finals against the defending division champion San Juan Knights, as they would lose game 1 of the series. The Rice Vanguards fought back and won game 2 in overtime before ultimately defeating the Knights in game 3. In the 2022 Finals, Nueva Ecija met the Marcelino-led Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines. The Rice Vanguards won the first two games at home but lost game 3 as the visiting team. The team then went on to win game 4 to bring Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon its first-ever MPBL championship. The Finals MVP was awarded to Byron Villarias.

Despite Gabo moving to the Philippine Basketball Association, signing with the NLEX Road Warriors during the off-season, Nueva Ecija kept most of its key players for the 2023 season. The team continued to win in the regular season, starting with an 11–0 record, but would suffer its first regular season loss since 2020 against the Viernes-led Sarangani Marlins. Nueva Ecija still proved to be contenders in 2023, finishing 2nd with a 23–5 record. After eliminating Pasay in the first round, the Rice Vanguards once again met with the San Juan Knights. This time around, San Juan ended up sweeping the rematch, ending Nueva Ecija's repeat hopes.

Other leagues

Nueva Ecija also took part in other leagues under the name Nueva Ecija Capitals. In 2022, the Capitals took part in FilBasket's 2022 Summer Championship, finishing with a 10–1 record. The team made the finals against the San Juan Knights as the series went into three games. The Capitals won the final game in overtime to clinch their first ever championship.

During the 2023–24 MPBL off-season, the Capitals took part in the Pilipinas Super League as part of its 2023–24 President's Cup.