The fourth and final regional selection camp of Jr. NBA Philippines 2018 is on-going at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati. It tomorrow, April 21, and ends on Sunday, April 22.
Jr. NBA, the NBA’s global youth basketball participation program, attracted boys and girls ages 10-14 years old born 2004-2008 from the National Capital Region and nearby provinces to participate in the final Regional Selection Camp to learn the fundamentals of the game as well as the core S.T.A.R values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect.
Prior to Metro Manila, Jr. NBA hosted Regional Selection Camps last February and March in Bacolod and Butuan, as well as in BSU, La Trinidad, Benguet, where five local young cagers joined 10 others in qualifying for the Jr. NBA National Training Camp.
The advancing local finalists are Jhuliana Francesca Pagteilan, 12, studying at the San Jose School in La Trinidad; Sarah Abigail Sacayanan, 13, studying at the Saint Louis School Center, High School Department; Silicia Lee Fuscalbo, 14, and Christine Nicole Venterez, 12, both studying at the Baguio City National High School; and Carl Emmanuel Velasquez, 14, studying at the Berkeley School.
Pagteilan, a resident of Ambassador, Tublay, Benguet, is probably the participant who has the most to gain for opportunity in attending the National Camp.
She could be the participant with the least knowledge of the game basketball but successfully got an invitation for the national training camp by passing the rigorous test during the camp.
She said her interest in playing basketball was only developed by simply watching his brother play and she just started playing the game lately.
She was recruited by the San Jose High School to play for them and played during the 2017 Benguet Provincial District Meet.
She could not mention a favorite basketball player when asked. She credited the BSU Training Camp for enhancing her defense.
As in the BSU camp, the first day of the Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camp features dribbling, passing and shooting challenges among others to gauge a camper’s skill level. The participants that excel will proceed to the second day to experience team drills and showcase their talent in the scrimmages.
Jr. NBA head coach Carlos Barroca together with Alaska coaches led by PBA Legends Jeffrey Cariaso and Tony de la Cruz, who headed the Benguet Camp will still handle their same chores in the Makati Camp, evaluating the players based on their performance in the drills and scrimmages and the exemplification of the S.T.A.R. values.
The National Training Camp will also take place in Metro Manila from May 18-20, 2018.
Jr. NBA National Training Camp will select the most outstanding eight boys and eight girls as Jr. NBA All-Stars from the Regional Selection Camps. To culminate the program, Jr. NBA Philippines 2018 All-Stars will embark on a unique, overseas NBA experience with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia later in the year.
By: ARMANDO BOLISLIS
