Pinoy freestyler dazzles ’em in Nike Face Off

The Philippines’ Nino Ventura showed he got the best moves in freestyle basketball in Southeast Asia, emerging as champion in the Nike Freestyle Face Off Regional Finals held at the Youth Park, Somerset Road in Singapore last Saturday, Nov. 15.

Ventura, an 18-year-old freshman at Asia Pacific College, bested representatives from Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to bag the championship, winning for himself exclusive Nike products that include a Nike MP3 player and wristwatch.

Representatives from Thailand and Singapore notched the second and third places, respectively, in the grand battle of champions.

A former San Beda Red Club, Ventura dazzled the international judges with his near-flawless execution of freestyle moves that include his trademark compass, which he modified by using a cellphone while dribbling the ball, and two-ball juggling. He also surprised his competition with a new trick he calls swimming, which he does by rolling his body on a basketball.

Ventura was one of the four freestyle champions sent by Nike Philippines to Singapore to compete in the regional tiff. The others were Peter Benjamen Cabria II, John Moises Melaño and Sung Hag Ahn, a replacement for Stanley Kareth who was unable to join the trip. They were selected after going through elimination together with more than 200 participants during the Nike Freestyle Face Off held last Nov. 7 at the Rockwell Tent.

The four Filipino freestylers, who also performed during a special Nike Singapore trade show on Nov. 16, were accompanied in the trip by Nike Philippine Sports Marketing manager Auty Villarama.