Six Corpus Christi cagers make the grade As 9 Mindanaoans top Jr. NBA PH Reg’l Selection Camp in Butuan
Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 is nearing its high point -- the National Training Camp. The penultimate Regional Selection Camp for the year was recently concluded in Butuan City over the weekend. Nine young athletes -- 6 boys and 3 girls -- topped the fourth regional tryout of the year and will represent Mindanao at the National Training Camp in Metro Manila in May. They will go up against the best ballers from other regions and a select group from the Alaska Power Camp.
The full roster of finalists include young athletes from Butuan, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and General Santos City.
Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Alaska returned for the second consecutive year to Fr. Saturnino Urios University in Butuan City on April 13-14 and identified six boys and three girls to represent Mindanao at the National Training Camp in Metro Manila.
The Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camp, led by Coach Carlos Barroca of the NBA and former PBA players Tony dela Cruz and Willie Miller, hosted more than 500 campers, with the selected athletes excelling in a series of basketball activities and competition and exemplifying the core S.T.A.R. values of the game throughout the camp. They will advance to the National Training Camp on May 17-19 and join the best young athletes from the Regional Selection Camps and a select Alaska Power Camp group to vie to be named part of the 2019 Jr. NBA Philippines All-Star team.
“If they get in shape because they play very intense, then they have their chances. They have good quality, I think we were lucky we chose six good all-stars from the boy’s side and three on the girl’s side. They have their chances,” said Coach Carlos. “The way that they’re going to work from now to the day of the NTC is going to be really important. I told them that they need to work and get in better shape. So, it’s up to them now.”
The Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars—comprised of as many as five boys and five girls—will join the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Selection Camp, a week-long camp in June that includes top youth players from the Asia-Pacific region excluding China.
In addition, the Asia-Pacific regional competition will form a team of 10 boys and 10 girls that will represent the region at the Jr. NBA Global Championship on Aug. 6-11 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. The international event will showcase talented youth from the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Mexico, Africa, India and the Asia-Pacific.
Boys and girls aged 10-14 years old can still join the last Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camp this year in Metro Manila on April 27-28 by registering at www.jrnba.asia/ philippines.
Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 is presented by Alaska, with AXA, Gatorade, Globe, Panasonic, Rexona and Vivo as official partners. ABS-CBN S+A, Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV are the official broadcasters of Jr. NBA Philippines.
For all things NBA, fans can follow Jr. NBA on Facebook and the NBA at www.nba.com and on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can visit www.alaskamilk.com to learn more about the Alaska Milk Corporation, and follow Alaska Milk on Facebook for more information about Alaska Sports.
The following is a complete list of participants selected from the Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camp in Butuan City advancing to the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp:
Boys roster: Apl McAndrei Gemao (12 yrs old)Corpus Christi School, Khyre Axxell Ayao (13) General Santos City SPED Integrated School, Daniel John Quijada (13) Holy Child College of Davao, James Felix Rosario (13) Corpus Christi School, Nick Ivan Tud (13) Cor Jesu College,Paolo Mathew Kho (14) Corpus Christi School.
Girls roster: Razzylla Jane Lubrico (13) Corpus Christi School,
Xaniah Venice Ebajan (14), Corpus Christi School, Mikylla Taborada (14) Corpus Christi School.