Jr. NBA Nat’l Camp: 10 players make it

Ten players including five from Davao made it to the Jr. NBA National Training Camp at the end of the record-breaking Davao City Regional Selection Camp yesterday at the USEP Gym.
The other qualifiers were two each from Bacolod and Bukidnon and one from General Santos City. They bested 30 other regional camp finalists at the University of South Eastern Philippines Gym in Davao City April 2 and will represent the Mindanao region at the National Training Camp of the Jr. NBA Philippines 2013 presented by Alaska on April 26-28.
The qualifiers are Paolo Coquilla, Wynch Hart Montemayor, Mahloney Tarranza, Cornelio Reta and John Cañete from Davao, Jan Gabriel Sobrevega and Jose Antiporda from Bacolod City, John Lloyd Bernales and Lorenz Viajar from Bukidnon and Anthony Sistoza from General Santos.
The selected players were among the Top 40 performers singled out on April 1, Day 1 of the Davao Regional Selection Camp, where the participation of 499 kids aged 10-14 toppled the high attendance record of 355 kids previously set in Manila in 2011.
The Davao finalists were chosen by the Jr. NBA evaluation committee headed by Jr. NBA head coach Sefu Bernard, Senior Director of Basketball Operations of NBA Asia and PBA Legend Jojo Lastimosa of the Alaska Power Camp. 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 were key factors in their selection.
“This was a very competitive group that made the job of the coaching staff to make a decision very difficult. These boys worked hard, they competed, and they helped each other along the way. It’s great to see such a fantastic turnout and such a deep pool of future Pinoy basketball players to come,” said Coach Sefu Bernard.
 Two more Regional Selection Camps will follow Davao – Lucena on April 6 and 7 at the Quezon Convention Center and Manila on April 13 and 14 at the Aquinas School Gym in San Juan City. The best players selected in the Regional Selections will be joined by the top 10 performers from the Alaska Power Camp in the National Training Camp which will be held at the UP Diliman Gym on April 26 and 27 and at the SM-Mall of Asia on April 28.
 
In the Manila finals, 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 ten best performers selected in the National Training Camp will be this year’s Jr. NBA Philippines All Star Team who will be rewarded with a trip abroad for an authentic NBA experience and the chance to play with a counterpart Jr. NBA team abroad.  
 
NBA Legend Muggsy Bogues will arrive in Manila for the National Training Camp and join the coaching staff of the Jr. NBA.
 
Registration for the Lucena and Manila Regional Selection Camps are still open and can be made online at www.jrnbaphilippines.com.phor on site at 8 a.m. before the start of the clinics. The first 100 players to check in on site with the online registration confirmation letter will receive a limited edition Jr. NBA headphone.
 
In addition to Presenting Partner Alaska Powdered Milk Drink, Official Partners include the NBA’s official sports drink, Gatorade, Unilever’s flagship brands Rexona and Master and new partner, Phoneix Petroleum. Returning as Jr. NBA Supporting Partners are KFC and Spalding. Official NBA broadcasters are Basketball TV, NBA Premium TV and Studio 23. Jr. NBA is also supported by the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP).