Young basketeers as far as Apayao province, Kalinga and Abra were among the hundreds who enlisted in the pioneering Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Center (BEST Center) sponsored by Milo being held at the Easter College Gym.
Thirteen – year – old Marielle Dacanay is among the regular BEST Summer Clinic student and her skills has been showing a lot of improvement.
“Naimprove ko ‘yung dribbling skills ko and dun din sa shooting, nag-start lang kasi ako maglaro ng basketball nung naki-try out ako sa varsity sa school naming,” Dacanay said.
Milo’s Best Center clinic has been teaching young aspiring athletes since 1979 and it has been an instrument to improve the skills of Baguio City’s local young competitors.
The program has different stages of training where each players can move from the 1st level up to the 3rd level.
Level one training includes basic ball handling and footwork, next is for the basic shooting or individual offense and the 3rd level is for the basic individual defense of the player.
The clinic kicked off May 2 at Easter College and will end on May 7 while another batch will June 6 to 11.
“Yung mga nag- eenroll sa amin mga bata, ranging from five-years-old and above. Wala naman siyang age limit, basta willing, gustong matuto ng basketball at hangga’t kaya niya, pwedeng mag-enroll,” Baguio coordinator Russel Go added.
The clinic is being facilitated by Coach Marie Chu, coach Edwin Barber and coach John Cusi.
“After the clinic, magkaka-roon tayo school-based na liga and young champion dito sa Baguio will compete on the regional finals, kalaban namin will come from Pangasinan, Pampanga and Lucena,” Go added.
The team who will win the regional finals will advance to the national finals which is tentatively set in Bacolod city.
Best Center Manila’s Assistant Training Director Edwin Barber, and also the coach for this year’s Best Center program in the city said this is the most organized basketball program among the other clinics in the country.
“Every time a student enrols in a particular level, they learn new things. It’s not dependent not only on the experience of the coach but also we have a definite program for every level.” Barber added.
Milo Best Center will also have a volleyball clinic which will be held at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary on May 30 to June 04.
By HENT
