ALTHOUGH facing an uphill battle, young basketball hopefuls from Cebu and Davao wanted to prove in the final selection camp of the Jr. NBA Philippines on Sunday that they are of equal footing with Metro Manila’s finest.
Twenty campers selected from regional selections held in both cities will slug it out with other 20 pre-selected teenage boys from the National Capital Region and Luzon to complete the eight-member Jr. NBA Philippines squad at the Jose Rizal University (JRU) gym in Mandaluyong.
At the end of the camp, the eight will be rewarded with an authentic NBA experience in October and will be given the chance to play against a counterpart Jr. NBA Team overseas.
The NCR and Luzon finalists include: Javier Ricardo Consunji, Emilio Puno, and Ferdinand Ravena III from Ateneo de Manila; Kyle Carlos, Mark Framil, and Jeremiah Vizmonte of La Salle Green Hills; Alfred Sojulga and Henri Lorenzo Subido of Lourdes School Mandaluyong; Ranbill Angelo Tongco, Hans Sison and Cyle Jowee Lopez of San Beda College; Carl Bueno and Alvin Gerard Ungria of the University of Santo Tomas; Hubert Cani of the University of the East Grade School; Lorenzo Fernando Navarro of St. Francis School; Thristan Laman of Sta Clara School of Antipolo; Shawn Brian Sabordo of the Pateros Catholic School; Noel Joseph Perez of Nineveh Academy of General Trias, Cavite; Arvin Angeles Jr. of Valenzuela; and Lance Villanueva of Marist School, Marikina.
Jr. NBA Legend and ex-Chicago Bulls standout BJ Armstrong teaches Jr. NBA Philippines finalists in a basketball drill. (Contributed photo)
Davao kids Henry Asilum and Jefferson James Roxas of the Holy Child School of Davao; Miguel Competente of St. Paul College; Earl Nicole Hiso, Israel Dave Remolar, and Carlo Lino Araguez of Stella Maris Academy of Davao; Miguel Paolo Gancio and Sean Patigue of the Ateneo de Davao; Al Rashid Indin of Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School; and Troy Senen Macariñas of EMAR Davao City will show that Mindanaoans also share the same passion and basketball skills that their Luzon and Visayas counterparts have.
The boys are currently billeted at Marriott Hotel.
The three-day camp which started on April 16 is a culmination of a three-month nationwide scouting and training of future basketball stars in the grassroots level.
Among those who facilitated the basketball clinics were Cadel Mosqueda, a former PBA player, Eddie Salac, PBA champion coach Ryan Gregorio, and Jr. NBA appointed coach and PBA Legend Ronnie Magsanoc.
US Jr. NBA coach Frank Lopez, NBA Legend BJ Armstrong, formerly of the Chicago Bulls, Benjie Paras, and Elmer Cabahug meanwhile will run the national selection camp.
At the camp, the boys aged 12-14 will be tested on their basketball skills, strength, stamina and character via conditioning workouts, transition drills, skills development stations and competitive games.
The participants will also be briefed on the Jr. NBA core S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (Positive) Attitude, and Respect plus seminars on proper diet, hydration and supplementation.
According to NBA, the DepEd-backed program has reached over 300 schools nationwide and has benefited over 30,000 students, parents and school coaches.
"Over 130,000 fans experienced the Jr. NBA program via Open Clinics held in Manila last February. All stages of the program are completely free," the premier league said. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)