by Moses Billacura
Davao City administrator Wendel E. Avisado welcomed the NBA Asia and NBA China officials who paid a courtesy call on November 5 at City Hall.
Hong Kong-based Ritchie Lai, NBA Asia director of events, his assistant Jin Yoo and Beijing-based Neil Brodie, director of the NBA Sports and Culture Development (Beijing) Co.Ltd. explained to the city administrator the Jr.NBA, NBA’s international youth basketball development program.
Sir WEA in turn informed the NBA officials about the Mayor Rody basketball clinics for the youth, the conduct of the Inter-Barangay Duterte Basketball League (DBL) and other tournaments being backed by the local government unit.
What can we do?, Atty. Avisado told the NBA officials, Dabawenyos love basketball.
The NBA, of course, has influenced the type of basketball played in Davaio. And with the Jr.NBA Program coming in, it would not be hard for them to sell the idea to Dabawenyos.
Atty.Avisado said the program will complement the ongoing basketball development efforts of the city government.
He informed the visitors that William “Butch” Ramirez, former chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, also conducts basketball clinics for the youth in Davao under the auspices of the Sports for Peace Mindanao, a non-government organization that holds office along Mars Street, GSIS Village, in Matina.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s chief of staff, Patmei Ruivivar, led in welcoming the visitors and Filipino coordinators, Debbie Tolentino and Edilberto Salac.
Ma’am Patmei said she was glad that thecoordinators will be scouting for outstanding Dabawenyo players who will be given a chance to join the training camp and get an opportunity to go to the U.S. or to any city in Asia where NBA games will be played next year.
The Jr.NBA was launched in 2007 and has benefitted 50,000 players, coaches, parents and school officials from 200 schools in Luzon and the Visayas.
Next year, the program will include Davao City, home of the longest-running Gaisano South Cup, the Duterte Basketball League and other tournaments sanctioned by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas under regional director Regino “Boy” Cua.
The Jr. NBA, presented by Hi Smart, will open on December 4 in Manila and by January to February, coaches clinics and school tryouts will be held in Manila, Cebu and Davao.
By March, a regional selection camp will be oganized in preparation for the national training camp in April. Then comes the much-awaited NBA Experience in October.
Last year, six young Filipinos went to the U.S. for the NBA Experience. Just imagine the joy of seeing live NBA games.
How I wish I’ll be off soon and my first target will be to watch the Boston Celtics in Massachusetts, then send a postcard to Celtics fan, Sir James A. Zimmerman, then motor my way to New York for a Knicks game, drop by at Engr. Alex Sempio Baruis’s home in Manhattan, then move to New Jersey for a Nets game and settle at Sir Elmer Dayanghirang’s place in Jersey.
I hope this wish will come true, soon. Ooops, I must wake up, but I must go back to sleep and continue dreaming.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing young Dabawenyos get a chance to watch the NBA games. I applaud NBA Asia and NBA China officials for bringing this beautiful program to Davao. See you next year.
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