Prep stars display wares

The country’s top 24 high school basketball stars strut their stuff at the second annual SLAM Rising Stars Classic this Sunday at the Gatorade Hoops Center on Shaw Boulevard and 19 will make their last appearance in the prep ranks before moving to the seniors division.

It’s a fitting sendoff for the graduating cagers some of whom distinguished themselves playing for the Philippines in international competitions. According to the organizers, at least eight of the 19 blue-chippers are now committed to enroll in different colleges and universities. The list includes twins Mike and Matt Nieto who are staying at Ateneo, San Beda’s Niko Abatayo and Chiang Kai Shek’s JV Gallego who are moving to National University, Darius Estrella who remains at Jose Rizal and Hope Christian’s Jollo Go, San Beda’s Andrei Caracut and San Sebastian’s Renzo Navarro who are transferring to La Salle.

The five players who will be high school seniors next schoolyear are Carlo Abadeza of Arellano, Ricci Rivero of La Salle Greenhills, Aljun Melecio of La Salle Zobel, Jolo Mendoza of Ateneo and Tyler Tio of Xavier.

Last year, RSA-Titan Management staged the first SLAM Rising Stars Classic with Team Hype, coached by Jamike Jarin, hacking out a 93-90 win over Team Punks piloted by Olsen Racela. Guard Hubert Cani, set to make his UAAP debut with Ateneo this coming season, was named MVP. Cani’s Hype teammates included Clint Doliguez, Arvin Tolentino, Prince Rivero, Radge Tongco, the Nieto twins and Mike de la Cruz. Team Punks was led by Thirdy Ravena, Rev Diputado, JJ Domingo and Jay Javelosa.

* * * *

Back from last year’s edition for their second Rising Stars Classic are the Nietos and de la Cruz. They were on the Philippine team that placed 15th of 16 at the FIBA World U17 Championships in Dubai last year. Also in the lineup were Go, Navarro, Mikel Panlilio, Mendoza and Carlo Abadeza with Ricci Rivero and Mark Dyke as reserves. They’ll all be seeing action this Sunday. The same squad took second place at the FIBA Asia U16 Championships in 2013, losing to China, 85-78, in the final. At the FIBA World U17 Championships, the Filipino teeners showed grit and guts in never giving up against such powerhouse teams as the US, Greece and Argentina. The Philippines bowed out of the tournament with an emphatic 115-51 win over host United Arab Emirates.

Go, Dyke and Caracut were on the Philippine squad that took fifth place at the FIBA Asia U18 Championships in Doha last year. Go shot 24 points, including 5-of-9 triples, in the Philippines’ 113-105 overtime victory over Japan. The Philippines lost to China, 91-49, Chinese-Taipei, 90-86 and South Korea, 87-69 but beat Japan, Kazakhstan, 86-74, Jordan, 85-60, Malaysia, 72-69 and Qatar, 82-79.

This year’s Rising Star Classic will feature Ateneo’s Joe Silva coaching Team Hype and La Salle Zobel’s Gian Nazario calling the shots for Team Punks. Silva steered Ateneo to the UAAP juniors crown this season with the Nietos and Mendoza leading the charge.

A player-to-watch is Team Hype’s Noah Webb, grandson of basketball legend Freddie Webb and younger brother of Kia’s Joshua. Webb’s father Fritz took him to train in the US under skills coach Mike Gerrity at Anaheim two years ago. Another star-in-the-making is Navarro who isn’t only a look-alike but also a play-alike of PBA veteran Eugene Quilban who saw action in the pros for eight seasons up to 1999. Quilban still holds the PBA record for most assists in a game with 28 set in 1992.

* * * *

The Team Hype roster – Arellano’s 6-4 Carlo Abadeza, 17, San Beda’s 6-0 Andrei Caracut, 19, La Salle Greenhills’ 5-10 Mike de la Cruz, 17, National University’s 6-3 Mark Dyke, 17, Jose Rizal’s 6-0 Darius Estrella, 18, FEU’s 6-5 Christian Fajarito, 19, Hope Christian’s 6-0 Jollo Go, 18, San Sebastian’s 5-9 Renzo Navarro, 17, Ateneo’s 6-0 Matt Nieto, 17, International School’s 5-10 Mikel Panlilio, 17, La Salle Greenhills’ 6-1 Ricci Rivero, 16 and La Salle Zobel’s 6-1 Noah Webb, 18.

The Team Punks lineup – San Beda’s 6-1 Niko Abatayo, 18, Mapua’s 6-1 Denniel Jay Aguirre, 18, La Salle Zobel’s 6-0 Quinito Banzon, 18, FEU’s 6-3 Brandrey Bienes, 18, FEU’s 6-0 Wendelino Comboy, 17, Chiang Kai Shek’s 5-10 1/2 JV Gallego, 16, La Salle Greenhills’ 6-5 JBoy Gob, 17, La Salle Zobel’s 5-9 Aljun Melecio, 15, Ateneo’s 5-10 Jolo Mendoza, 17, Ateneo’s 6-1 1/2 Mike Nieto, 17, Xavier’s 5-11 Tyler Tio, 16 and Adamson’s 6-0 1/2 JD Tungcab, 17.

RSA-Titan Management president Rely San Agustin said the game will be aired live and exclusive on Fox Sports Asia with tip-off scheduled at 7 p.m. For collegiate scouts and coaches looking to recruit prospects, the SLAM Rising Stars Classic is their last chance to size up possibilities. This year’s edition promises to be another humdinger as the 24 prep standouts try to outshine each other in getting ready for bigger wars ahead.