MANILA, Philippines - Umalis kahapon ang Nokia Pilipinas U16 Youth team patungong Canberra, Australia para sa isang camp at pocket tournament upang higit na palakasin ang kanilang paghahanda sa FIBA-Asia U16 tournament na nakatakda sa Malaysia bago matapos ang taon.
Babanderahan ni U16 coach Eric Altamirano ang delegasyon na kinabibilangan ng 14 na players na kakalabanin ang pinakamahuhusay sa rehiyon sa Southeast Asian Basketball Association youth basketball tournament na nakatakda sa July bago ang FIBA-Asia sa Nobyembre.
“More than the skills training, our team needs to be ranged against different kinds of playing environments, particularly those closely resembling or even far better than the competition we are to face in Malaysia,” ani Altamirano, na ang koponan ay suportado ng Nokia Pilipinas at TAO Corporation sa ilalim ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas na pinamumunuan ni Manny Pangilinan.
Inimbitahan ni Rob Beveridge, National Intensive Training Centre Program (NITCP) head coach, ang Nokia Pilipinas U16 team na lumahok sa Elite Training Camp at pocket tournament kontra sa NSW Country, NSW Metropolitan at ACT U16 State teams na lalahok naman sa Australia’s National U16 Championship sa July.
“I am sure that you will find this camp and tournament extremely beneficial in the development and preparation for international competition and is a great opportunity and developing links between Australia and The Philippines,” wika ni Beveridge, na gumiya sa Australia Under-19 team sa world title noong 2003.
Ang mga miyembro ng koponan ay sina Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, Roldan Sara, Ralph Nayve, Jeron Teng, Kristoffer De La Costa, Jeffrey Jarillonar, Cris Michael Tolomia, Paolo Luis Romero, John Aldrin Lunas, Kevin Ferrer, Joshua Torralba, Michael Anthony Pate. Hindi naman makakasama si Bobby Ray Parks na kasalukuyang nasa Amerika pa.
Kasama din sa delegasyon sina Joey Guanio, Vic Ycasiano at Mon Jose at conditioning coach Dan Rose, head of operations Ito Lopa ng TAO Corporation at physical therapist Gimbo Corre.