Bates stages month-long cage clinic

MANILA, Philippines - AirAsia and the Philippine Patriots bring to the grassroots the sport closest to their hearts when they hold a month-long basketball clinic within Metro Manila and nearby Luzon.

The session, dubbed “AirAsia Jam”, kicks off on Oct. 22 in Clark, Pampanga, with no less than “The Black Superman”, Billy Ray Bates, spearheading the event.

Jojo Fermin, marketing head of AirAsia, which is presenting the clinic together with ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) inaugural champions Philippine Patriots, said more than 2,000 kids are expected to be treated to a free and intensive basketball workshop that also include stops in Caloocan, Mandaluyong, and Pampanga.

“We hope to teach kids the basic skills of basketball, and at the same time, help them develop their games,” said Fermin, who was joined by Bates, Patriots assistant team manager Benjo Flores, and marketing consultant Jacque Ruby in the weekly PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Ave.

Flores said Patriots assistant coach Allan Gamboa and point guard Warren Ybanez are tagging along with Bates as the group makes the rounds in Martinez, Caloocan on Nov. 6, Don Bosco in Makati on Nov. 25, and Angeles in Pampanga on Dec. 5.

Bates, the legendary former Portland Trailblazer stalwart recently inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame, was tapped by the Patriots to be its skills coach for the coming third season of the ABL.

The great import who steered the fabled Crispa Redmanizers to its second Grand Slam in 1983, said he’s more than willing to give back his knowledge of the sport to the country that is already second home to him.

“I’m proud to be a part of the Patriots coaching staff,” said Bates appearing for the first time in the forum presented by Smart, Pagcor, Outlast Battery, and Shakey’s. “And as part of the job, I’ll try to teach kids the basic skills of basketball, evaluate them, and help them get better.”

Fermin said the feeling is mutual, adding AirAsia is proud too, of having Bates, 55, a part of its first ever cage clinic.

“Billy Ray Bates is more than a coach, but an inspiration, not only to the kids, especially doon sa mga hindi na siya naabutan, but also for the parents as well,” added the AirAsia executive.

The Patriots, meanwhile, are now in the midst of preparing for the ABL’s coming season that kicks off on Jan. 14.

Flores said the team is still talking to a short list of candidates who will be the next Patriots coach, although he’d rather not bare the names of the leading aspirants out to take over the job vacated by Louie Alas.

The Patriots also have yet to complete its official lineup pending a proper announcement to be made by team management.

“But we’re definitely going for the championship this time,” said Flores, who mentioned defending champion Thailand and Malaysia as the teams to beat in the new ABL season.