Kobe Paras gains first slot in 3x3 team to Youth Olympics

MANILA, Philippines - Kobe Paras, son of former PBA rookie MVP winner Benjie, has been qualified to represent the country in the 3x3 basketball event of the Second Youth Olympic Games slated Aug. 16-28 in Nanjing, China.

The 6-6 Paras, 16, made it to the Nanjing-bound team after he steered the Phl team to last year’s FIBA 3x3 Under-18 World Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia and winning the slam dunk title.

But his former teammates, Thirdy Ravena, Arvin Tolentino and Prince Rivero, are already over the age limit, leaving three vacant spots in the team.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas will thus hold qualification tournaments for the last three berths in the team.

The names of Dino San Juan of La Salle-Greenhills, JP Cauilan and Chino Mosqueda of National U came out as the top candidates for the spots but they will need more qualification points to make it to the team, according to SBP administrator Joemar Benedicto.

To date, only three athletes have made it the Phl squad – two from archery and one from gymnastics.

A total of 222 events are calendared in the YOG with a total of 155 countries including a 142-strong Chinese team expected to participate.