Lucena, Tayabas kids make Jr NBA camp

MANILA, Philippines - Three kids from Lucena and two from Tayabas will join 16 others from Dagupan and Davao in the national training camp of the Jr. NBA Philippines 2013 presented by Alaska on April 26-28.

Michael Reyes, Michael Enriquez and Carlton Cabral from Lucena and Reymund Capistrano and Miguel Ratuiste from Tayabas will represent Southern Tagalog in the three-day boot camp that will test the young participants’ basketball skills and smarts and how they show the Jr. NBA core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect (STAR).

The players are among the Top 40 performers picked from the Lucena Regional Selection Camp held at the Quezon Convention Center which drew 324 kids aged 10-14. The participants came from Lucena, Sariaya, Atimonan, Candelaria, Pagbilao, Tayabas, Sampaloc, Lucban and Gumaca in Quezon Province; Bauan, Tanauan, Sto. Tomas, Rosario, Lipa and Batangas City in Batangas; Sta. Rosa, Calamba, Cabuyao and Canlubang in Laguna; Bacood in Cavite; and Legaspi, Albay and Daet, Camarines Norte in the Bicol Region.

The Lucena finalists were chosen by the Jr. NBA evaluation committee headed by Jr. NBA head coach Sefu Bernard, senior director of Basketball Operations of NBA Asia and former PBA star Jojo Lastimosa of the Alaska Power Camp for their all-around basketball skills and how they exhibited the Jr. NBA’s core S.T.A.R. values.

 of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude and Respect.

“I saw a group of kids that were very passionate and driven. It was exciting to work with them because they were willing to be pushed, and for me that’s a sign that they’re on the right path to achieving their goals,” said Bernard.

Meanwhile, the Manila Regional Selection Camp will be held this weekend at the Aquinas School Gym in San Juan City. The best players selected in the Regional Selections will be joined by the top 10 performers from the Alaska Power Camp in the National Training Camp which will be held at the UP Diliman Gym on April 26 and 27 and at the SM-Mall of Asia on April 28.