Pinoys play exhibition games in Jr NBA/WNBA

BEIJING – Fifteen young boys and girls, who could be the future of Philippine basketball, set out against their counterparts from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in a series of exhibition games highlighting the 2014 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA All Stars firing off today here.

The elite Filipino cagers, who emerged from the more than 2,000 aspirants, will be spread out to different teams that include 50 other all-star players from the four other SEA countries in a unique format expected to bring out the best from each player.

Cebu’s Jethro Rocamora of First Baptist Christian School and Andrew Vincent Velasco of Ateneo de Cebu head the boys’ cast that includes Bacolod City’s Sanjosef Belangel of Taytung High, Iloilo’s Vince Leo Dolendo and David Leonardo Umadhay both of Huasiong College, Rhayyan Amsali of Nazareth School, Paul Matthew Manalang of NU and Jan Cyril Narvasa of UST and Luigi Miguel Velasco of La Salle-Greenhills.

The girls, on the other hand, will be represented by Arielle Marie Lanot of La Salle-Zobel, Kreecie Bettina Binaohan and Roxanne Salvador both of Perpetual Help, Karl Ann Pingol of Pototan School in Iloilo and Mary Jean Pascua of University of Southern Philippines of Cebu.

Pia Dysango of St. Stephen High was chosen as the best female coach while Andy Tecocan of Tacloban City, Leyte was named the best male coach in this trip sponsored by Alaska Milk and sanctioned by the NBA, Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA.

Part of the four-day trip is a visit to the Great Wall and the rare chance to watch the NBA Global Games Beijing 2014 presented by ZTE pitting the Brooklyn Nets against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday at the Mastercard Center.

Beijing will serve as the last stop of the five pre-season games of the NBA in four countries the whole month of October as part of the NBA Global Games 2014. Interestingly, the Nets, led by Kevin Garnett, have played the Kings in Shanghai just a few days back.

Now on its seventh year, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program is held to harness the best talents in participating countries like the Phl while giving the top participants the chance to feel the real NBA experience.

This year’s edition marks another milestone in Alaska Milk’s efforts to improve the health of basketball-loving children in the Phl through the power of nutrition and sport.

The 2014 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA All-Stars held camps in Manila, Dagupan, Cebu, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, and Surigao to select this year’s Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA All-Stars cast.

The Filipinos will also play exhibition games against local basketball teams as part of the NBA experience.

“Through our partnership with the NBA and its Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program, we are able to holistically address a child’s development; nourishment through the goodness of milk coupled with encouragement through the power of basketball, for children to lead active, healthy lifestyles,” said Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, president and CEO of Alaska Milk Corp.