Youth Basketball at Its Best

Call me biased. Very biased. That’s for any form of youth sports. And this weekend is no exception. Did you know that at least three or four youth-related basketball events took place yesterday? The semifinals of the Seaoil Elite League of the NBTC was played yesterday. It’s an Under 18 tournament featuring Cebu’s top high school teams. Also taking place yesterday were games of the Cebu Elite Basketball League (CEBL), a youth-based tournament with four age groups: Under 10, 13, 16 and 19. On the side, tryouts for the Philippine National Under 16 team were also held Friday and yesterday with Coach Jamike Jarin on the lookout for players who can follow in the steps of Henry Asilum (from two years ago). If that wasn’t enough, the ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup 2013 kicked off yesterday, marking the sixth season of the Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL 6).

Take a breath now if you read the paragraph quickly. Yes, for the first time, we’re now seeing an influx of age group basketball shaping up to crowd the basketball calendar of young players and their families. Never before has Cebu seen something like this (for as long as I covered or played the sport). With the CEBL and the TSP Cup 2013, schools and ballclubs have two tournaments in which they can play. The only other place with a similar situation is Manila. With proper coordination, conflicts in schedules are avoided for the good of the sport and the players.

As a proponent of the CYBL, this corner is glad to see all this happening. When the CYBL started in 2008, only twelve teams signed up in two age groups (Under 13 and 16). Today, the league’s kick-off tournament for the year which is called the ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup, has drawn 45 teams (and counting) in four age groups: Under 10, 13, 16, and 19.  It showcases a cross-section of the youth segment with kids from the early grades all the way to freshmen or sophomores in college. Up for grabs are titles in the premier Division A of the Under 10, 13, 16 and 19 age groups. Defending their titles are University of San Carlos (USC) South Campus (Under 10), Cebu Eastern College (Under 13), University of the Visayas (Under 16) and Adgers Sportswear (Under 19). The tourney also features a Division B or developmental division for the Team B’s of schools and teams from the smaller schools whose basketball programs are still on the start-up phase. The Under 13 and 16 age groups both have Division B’s. The other schools in the hunt for the title include   Don Bosco Technology Center, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, Southwestern University, University of San Jose Recoletos, University of Southern Philippines Foundation, NISSI Academy International and Sotero B. Cabahug Forum for Literacy. Rookie teams this year are Abellana National School, Cebu Bradford School, St. Benedict Childhood Education Centre, AC Sports, and guest teams Thumbs Up and Punta Princesa Children’s Basketball Association.

Looking back, the University of San Carlos program has produced the most number of titles ever  since CYBL 2008. USC South has won five championships, while USC North has won three. SHS-Ateneo has won two, while UV, USJR, UC, CEC and Adgers Sportswear have won one apiece. Through the years, the level of competition has not only gone up, but has also leveled off with late-blooming UV suddenly challenging the likes of the two USC campuses and SHS-Ateneo for youth basketball supremacy. The other schools have also stepped up, thus helping the whole Cebu basketball community to grow.

So what does this mean? Obviously, it proves that there is a lot of basketball to be played in Cebu. With the market, tournament organizers and coaches have found a way to provide the much-needed exposure for all young prospects. This is what is necessary for Cebu Basketball to produce top players and teams. Make no mistake about it. We’re nowhere near the level of Manila where the level of competition is higher. They have as many as three tournaments ongoing at the same time and have so many strong programs all moving in the same direction. But we’re at least doing something right for the kids. We just pray that all this leads to our goals of making Cebu Basketball stronger over-all.

While everything is up for the youth, our main concern however, is a continuity program for the products of the youth movement. After the Under 19 activities, there is a deafening silence of non-activity among the collegiate ranks. Everything ended with the CESAFI and nothing else is taking place. Sure, some college teams play friendlies here and there. They also join some local town fiesta tournaments but this isn’t enough. Also gone are the semi-pro leagues for college players and graduates. These are supposed to complete the cycle of basketball. Ironically, there are more 35 and above tournaments being played in different places, whether they be barangay or alumni-based.

But we’ll make do with what we have now. The youth is vibrant, active and fully booked. And it’s our dream that this leads to something positive for Cebu Basketball.

Time-out: Happy birthday to Coach Vernini Tangarorang and congratulations on your baby! >>> You can reach me at [email protected].