Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Baguio hosts SBP under 18 tourneys
AT LEAST 26 high school basketball teams from around the country will troop here for the first SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) inter secondary basketball tournament.
The 18 under basketball event will see top teams from Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Baguio City, which will square off on the 14th of February and will end on the 24th as part of the comprehensive grassroots program for various age groups being implemented by the SBP.
Out of the 26 teams, a pool of players will be chosen to compose the country's 18 and under team which will be sent to Orlando, Florida this year for the team's training. At least two teams are being groomed to form the national team.
SBP, the national sports association's basketball organization, is embarking on a four-year development plan for the National Team and the crafting of a distinctively "Filipino philosophy" for basketball to be implemented nationwide.
The grassroots programs include the establishment of a national inter-secondary tournament, a women's commercial league, and a national 3-on-3 championship that is already a FIBA-recognized event.
The SBP also agreed on the strengthening and integration of the National Basketball Training Center into the Youth Commission.
Similar programs for tournament commissioners and coaches have also been lined up. A technical commission was created to oversee the referees and commissioners programs.
Its board also agreed on the proposal of an SBP-Cadets National Team, which will be developed and maintained for the next four years.
The long term program will be managed by a National Team Management Group to be created from among the various sectors of the SBP including national coaches and the newly created Competitions Commissions.
The program calls for the best young players outside of the professional league to be invited to form the Cadets pool. (Roderick Osis)
