16 boys & 10 girls make it to National Training Camp of Jr. NBA

16 boys -- 9 from Metro Manila, 2 from Bacolod, 2 from Cavite, 1 from Rizal, 1 from Tarlac and 1 from Batangas -- emerged as the best of the Manila Regional Selection Camp of the Jr. NBA Philippines 2014 presented by Alaska held at the Philippine International Conventional Center (PICC) Forum Tent at the CCP Complex April 13.

10 girls – 6 from Metro Manila, 2 from Laguna, 1 from Cavite and 1 from Sorsogon -- will join the first-ever pool of Jr. WNBA aspirants who will compete in the inaugural Jr. WNBA tilt this year.

The Manila Regional Selection Camp is the last tryout for this year’s Jr. NBA Program and immediately precedes the high point of the Jr. NBA – the National Training Camp – which will be participated in by 50 male players and 30 girl players -- top picks from the various regional selection camps conducted in Surigao, Iloilo, Cebu, Dagupan, Puerto Princesa, Manila and the Alaska Power Camp.

709 boys and 88 girls from Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bacolod, Rizal, Quezon, Pangasinan and Baguio City joined the Manila tryouts. The Top 50 male players and Top 30 female players with the best scores on the vitals tests, skills stations and fitness challenges were asked to return on Day 2. The players chosen from the April 13 pool will move on to the National Training Camp. 

The 16 boys are : John Gates, Paul Manalang, James Pradella and Rhayyan Amsali from National University; John Lyndon Sayong and Joshua Fetil of Divine Life Academy; Jan Narvasa and Rean Relucio of the University of Santo Tomas, Sean Patrick Catsao of Philippine Christian University, Sean Barranco of Diliman Preparatory School, Luigi Velasco of La Salle Greenhills, Christian Duane Anterola of Elizabeth Seton Academy, Anthony Desoyo of Escuela de Sophia, Sam Joseph Bedangel of Taitung High School in Bacolod, Kyle Chua of St. John’s Institute of Bacolod, and Kobe Monje of Tarlac College of Agriculture.

The 10 girls are : Roxanne Salvador and Kreecie Binaohan of University of Perpetual Help, Andrea Penetrante of Balombong High School in Caloocan, Arielle Lanot and Akami Marteja of De La Salle Zobel, Micaela Pentecostes of Bangkal Elementary School, Makati; Romina Manahan of St. Theresa’s College Quezon City, Julianne Ebio of Sorsogon National High School, Stephanie Villapando of Trace College, Laguna and Luisa San Juan of Amazing Grace School in Laguna.

 The Manila finalists were chosen by the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA evaluation committee headed by Jr. NBA coach Chris Sumner, Specialist, Basketball Operations of NBA Asia and PBA Legend Jojo Lastimosa of Alaska. Their all-around basketball skills and how they exhibited the Jr. NBA’s core S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude and Respect.

The National Training Camp will be held at the PICC Forum Tent on April 25 and 26 and at the SM Mall of Asia on April 27.  All the best players from each region will pit skills and the ways in which they express the STAR values during the three-day boot camp that will prepare them to be exceptional athletes and total persons on and off the court. The 10 best male performers selected in the National Training Camp will be this year’s Jr. NBA Philippines All Star Team, while the 5 best female performers will be the first-ever Jr. WNBA All-Star Team. The male and female All-Stars will be rewarded with an authentic NBA experience and the chance to play with a counterpart youth team abroad. 

NBA player Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz and WNBA Legend Tina Thompson will arrive in Manila for the National Training Camp and join the coaching staff of the Jr. NBA.

Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA is presented by Alaska Milk. Gatorade and Phoenix Petroleum are Official Partners, while KFC and Spalding are Supporting Partners. The SM Mall of Asia and SM Cinemas are the Official Venues for Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA. Official NBA Broadcasters are Basketball TV, NBA Premium TV and ABS-CBN Sports. Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA is also supported by the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP).

The Jr. NBA program was first conducted in the Philippines in 2007 and has more than doubled in participation in the past six years. Each year a new city benefits from the grassroots basketball program that involves not just young players but also their parents and coaches. This year, more than 80,000 students, parents, and coaches will benefit through Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA activities including camps and clinics, NBA Cares outreach activities, television programs and digital initiatives.

Registration was conducted through the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA event website www.jrnba.asia/philippines. Fans can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines. For all things NBA, visit us at www.nba.com and follow us on our official Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/NBA_Philippines.