Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Davao cagers show potentials By Marianne Saberon-Abalayan
NATIONAL Basketball Training Center (NBTC) program director cited at least four young players from Davao City who can be tapped for the Philippines youth team.
"I've seen four or five players who are already exceptional and can make it to the national youth team this early," he told told Davao sportswriters over dinner at the Bistro Rosario Restaurant Sunday.
Altamirano was referring to 13-year-old six-footer Mario Bonleon, 15-year-old 6'2 Larry Malanday, and 15-year-old 6'0 Martin Delfinado all of the Holy Child School of Davao, and prized 5'8 pointguard Felix Carmelo Pepito of Ateneo High School, who all showed their wares during the Jan. 12 tryouts.
"'Yang si Bonleon, bilib ako sa batang iyan. Nakipagsabayan siya sa mga 16 to 17 years old sa try-outs, hindi siya napag-iwanan. Magaling siya para sa isang trese anyos (I'm very impressed with Bonleon because he can play with the 16 to 17 years old without being left behind. He's very good for a 13-year-old)," Altamirano said.
But Altamirano, known to many as Coach E, said the NBTC program will further hone the players' skills and make them better cagers who can shine even in international competitions.
Bonleon, Malanday, Delfinado and Pepito were just among the 40 players from Davao and General Santos who were accepted to the NBTC, a grassroots development program of the BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
The players will start training under Davao territorial head Manny Nitorreda and his associate coaches for the next four months starting February.
"This program doesn't just make you better players or bring back the Philippines' glory days in Asian basketball but the values you get out of this program is more important," Davao-born Altamirano told the layers during the presentation Sunday afternoon.
"This program is not just for you to be winners on the court but also to be winners in life. Basketball is not forever. The program will help you go through with life even after having a basketball career," he added.
The presentation was attended by no less than BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Patrick "Pato" Gregorio.
From Davao, Altamirano and his staff planed in to Cebu Monday to train NBTC coaches there.
