CEBU basketball players and coaches get a chance of a lifetime as Cebu was chosen as one of the recipients of a coaching seminar to be conducted by Junior National Basketball Association coach Frank Lopez on Nov. 12 at the City Sports Club Cebu courts.
Local organizer and bemedalled coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug teamed up with the Department of Education for this endeavor.
Lopez has been a coach for 14 years with the NBA and the Junior NBA and is currently an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic.
The same training for players was done in Manila last year, but unlike Manila where only those from posh schools and universities were able to take part in, Cabahug said he wants coaches from public schools in Cebu to get the same chance.
“It is a grassroots program and these coaches will benefit from it. This is a good way for us to improve our young players,” said the eight-time winner of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc.
“It is also a very rare chance and since it is for free, they should join it,” said Cabahug.
Cabahug added that he is inviting even those coaches from neighboring provinces to take part in this event.
Limited slots
He, however, wants applications sent as soon as possible because they are only limiting the slots to 100.
The training will be done the whole day with the afternoon set aside for basketball drills.
Lopez will also be doing an NBA promotional run at the SM North Wing on Nov. 22 and 23, where he will also be teaching kids.
After the NBA clinic, Cabahug, other PBA legends and some coaches from the training will hold a clinic on Dec. 27 to 28 12 to 14 years old. They will choose 20 kids, who will be sent to another Jr. NBA training in Manila, where six will be chosen to go to the US on an NBA-sponsored trip.
In the US, the selected kids will be trained and observe NBA teams in training and watch NBA games live. (MCB)
