Tall, versatile Youth 5 bound for SEABA

Coach Franz Pumaren believes he has formed a formidable team with height, quickness and offensive clout from the 15 players he has picked to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the SEABA junior men’s championship slated May 1-6.

Pumaren has finalized the roster of players competing in the Asian Youth Championship regional qualifier.

Making up the roster are Fil-foreign players Kyle Nicolas Pascual and Norberto Bryan Torres, new recruit Ian Paul Sangalang and pool members Ryan Roose Garcia, Jed Manguera, Mark Anthony Lopez, Jaypee Mendoza, Samuel Joseph Marata, Frank Golla Jr., Mark Joel de Guzman, Joseph Emmanuel Tolentino, Gabriel Banal, Joseph Terso, Mark Joven Mendoza and Philip Paredes.

Dropped from the list were Jeric Allen Teng, Jerome Ramos, Jhon Sumido and Jairold Flores.

Pumaren said he’ll name his final 12 most probably on the eve of the opening of the five-day competition where they’re up against host Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

The Nokia RP Youth team leaves the country Sunday.

Pascual, Torres and Sangalang were the latest addition to the team, adding depth, heft and ceiling to the squad bankrolled by Tao Corp. and Nokia. All three are standing above 6-foot-5.

Torres is based in Toronto, Canada whose parents are from Calumpit, Bulacan while Pascual is based in California, whose father is from Manila and mother from Cebu.

Sangalang is from Pampanga brought in by SBP regional director Gil Cortez. He came in a little late, and failed to join the team’s two-week training in the US.

Pumaren said the team has become more flexible on the entry of Torres, Pascual and Sangalang.

“With their entry, I can be flexible. I can play big and I can play small,” said Pumaren.

The RP boys open their campaign in Kuala Lumpur against the host team on May 1.