SBP boosts youth program, bares tourneys

After its very successful Nokia-Tao National Basketball Training Center for the elite youth, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is strengthening its grassroots youth programs through three forthcoming tournaments.

Spearheaded by its Youth Commission, the SBP is sending a delegation to the first Asian Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia to compete in the Beach Basketball event Oct. 22-26.

The Smart-Pilipinas 3-on-3 team will be composed of four up and coming young players of the Youth pool, including three players who were part of the RP Youth team that competed recently in the Asian Jr. Men’s Championship in Tehran, Iran.

They are Joseph Tolentino, Samuel Marata, Papot Paredes and Arthur De La Cruz.

The delegation will be led by SBP executive director Noli Eala, SBP Youth Commission chairman Nic Jorge, team manager and Smart marketing head Danilo Mojica and head coach Britt Reroma.

The Smart-Pilipinas national team, which is in the group of Japan and Thailand, is hoping to provide the Philippine delegation with a medal in the newly introduced biennial event.

“The SBP is honored to be part of this historic inaugural event. The boys have prepared hard and we are hopeful we will perform well,” Jorge said.

Aside from its participation in the Beach Games, the SBP is staging two major youth tourneys in 2009. These are the National Junior Championship slated in Baguio City Jan. 11-18 and the National 33 Open Championship to be held in the summer of 2009.

The NJC will feature 20 of the best high school teams of the country vying for the national inter-secondary crown. The top 20 teams will be taken from the various regions of the SBP through provincial and regional eliminations.

The NJC will be the first national tournament directly managed and organized by the SBP through its regional directors and area heads.

On the other hand, the National 33 Open Championship will pit the best 3-on-3 teams all over the Philippines in various age group categories playing for the first time under FIBA 33 rules.

The winners of the Open will be automatically included in the pool that will represent the Philippines in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.

“These programs are a manifestation of the SBP’s commitment under MVP to long term youth development. The youth sector is a priority area of the SBP. It is our hope that by providing the youth more opportunities for competitive tournaments, we can bolster the future of Philippine basketball for international competitions, “ Eala stated.