Jr. NBA Open clinic attracts huge field

Over a thousand kids from as far as Ilagan, Isabela and Tarlac, Tarlac took part in the Jr. NBA Open clinic at SM Marikina over the weekend, underscoring the popularity of the event’s grassroots basketball development program.

Former PBA stars Benjie Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc and Jolly Escobar conducted the clinic to kids aged 12-14, featuring the basic drills on speed improvement, shooting, dribbling and rebounding skills, along with teamwork and values formation.

Various skills challenge and competitions were also held for teeners, parents and mall goers, including the Hi-Smart skills challenge, Basketball TV slam dunk, Caltex 2-Ball game, Gatorade 3-point shootout, Spalding free throw knockout and adidas long distance shot.

Meanwhile, the Jr. NBA program, presented by Hi-Smart, will hold the Regional Selection Camps where school and community coaches will send four of their best players who will undergo fitness, skills and attitude challenges.

These will be held in Cebu on Dec. 27-28 at the Sacred Heart School Gym and in Manila on Jan. 24-25, 2009 at the JRU Gym.

The best 20 players from the NCR and another 20 from Cebu will move up to the National Training Camp, a three-day NBA camp at the JRU Gym that will test the mental, physical and emotional mettle of the young campers.

The best six campers who have excelled all tests of fitness, agility, athleticism and mental toughness as total basketball players at the camp will emerge as the Jr. NBA Philippine Team. They will be sent to the US to watch an NBA game live and play against the Jr. NBA US Team.

The Jr NBA Philippines is presented by Hi-Smart and backed by Basketball TV, Caltex, Gatorade, and Spalding with adidas and The Philippine STAR as the official outfitter and media partner.