SBP Passerelle tournament kicks off

CEBU, Philippines - The best players of age group grassroots basketball showcase their talents with the opening of the BEST Center SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament for Cebu today at the University of San Carlos (USC) North Campus Gym.

Back to defend its 2012 titles are Small Basketeers Philippines division champions USC and Passerelle division champion University of the Visayas (UV). Both teams are also the defending Visayas champions for their respective divisions and placed second to La Salle Greenhills at the national finals of the 2012 edition of the tournament backed by Milo.

The SBP division is for players in the Under 12 age group with a new composition of players per age group starting this year. Each SBP team is now composed of a maximum of five Under 12 players, five Under 11 players and five Under 10 players. The previous format was 9-6-3 for each age group, respectively. Out to challenge USC are 2012 runner-up Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), Cebu Eastern College (CEC), UV, University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) and Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC).

The Passerelle division is for the Under 15 age group, with each team being composed of five players each from the Under 15, 14 and 13 years old age group. USC is out to outdo is runner-up finish to UV last year, and is making a serious run at a double championship. The other contenders include SHS-AdC, CEC, USJ-R, DBTC and Southwestern University.

The annual SBP Passerelle Tournament is organized by the Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. It was founded in 1978 as training center or school for young basketball players. Its summer clinic and annual tournament are the biggest and longest running in the country, and has produced the likes of Kiefer Ravena, Benjie Paras, Chris Tiu and most of today’s collegiate and professional players. (FREEMAN)