ELEVEN kids will represent Visayas in the National Training Camp (NTC) in Manila after being selected out of more than 300 aspirants in Cebu’s Regional Selection Camp of the Jr. NBA/ Jr. WNBA Philippines 2016 presented by Alaska, which wrapped up yesterday at the Don Bosco Technology Center gym.
Eight boys and three girls ages 10 to 14 made the cut and secured a ticket to NTC on April 22 to 24, after a two-day selection process, which evaluated their passing, shooting, dribbling and other aspect of their game. The selected players from the regional camps in Cebu, Davao, Baguio and Manila will gather in one place for the NTC in Manila.
The players selected to represent the Visayas are Lowell Jhan Francis Chan, 14, of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-Adc); Harold Alarcon, 13, of Bacolod Tay Tung High School; Fritz Felix Valencia, 13, of Bacolod Tay Tung High School; Tracy Carl Dadang, 13; of University of San Carlos- Basic Education Department (USC-Bed); SHS-AdC’s Anskie Mclouisse Espina, 13; USC-Bed’s Justin Atilano, 13; Kendall Limana, 13, of Abellana National School (ANS); and Nicholas Steven Pura, 13, of SJI Bacolod.
The three girls that made it are all 14 years old and from ANS. They are Florence Jil Talas, Darliene Regasajo and Daphne Nardo.
The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Philippines head coach Craig Brown told reporters that so far on the three Regional Camps it was the one in Cebu that has the most promising players.
“I definitely think that this region here in skill level is very good already coming in. Again it goes back individual investment and the effort of the coaches. We have great representation in Cebu and good representation on the other regional camps as well,” said Brown.
“Competition has been great, the kids are competing hard. The kids listened to the instruction of the coaches very well, and I think their skill level is already very good. It goes to show that the local coaches that are investing in the youth here have pays off,” he added.
It was the second time for Jr. NBA/ Jr. WNBA to visit Cebu in the nine-year history of the grassroots basketball clinic, which is open and free to all children from 10 to 14 years old.
This year the regional camp started in Baguio last Feb 20 to 21 with around 600 kids, followed by Davao on Feb 27 to 28 with nearly 500 participants, then in Cebu which was joined by more than 300 kids. The last regional camp will be on April 9 to 10 in Manila, 12 days before the NTC.
From the NTC, there will be 10 boys and 5 girls that will be selected as final member of the Jr. NBA/ Jr. WNBA Philippines and will be treated to an NBA experience. Last year, the players were brought to China to watch a Global Game between Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers.