RP-US exhibition series on today

The RP National Pool will be put to a big test when it battles the visiting US Team in the kickoff of the PBL RP-US Goodwill Series today at the Pasig Sports Center.

Gametime is at 5 p.m.

The US Team, which arrived the other day, is composed of talented veterans and collegiate standouts led by Brando Payton, the 23-year-old younger brother of Seattle Supersonics All-Star guard Gary Payton and beefed up by familiar faces in Philippine basketball.

Top local slotmen Ranidel de Ocampo, Bernzon Franco, Alwyn Espiritu and Rich Alvarez will surely have their hands full against USA’s big experienced men — 6’10 Terrence Super and 6’8 Will Levy.

Super is a veteran mainstay of Oakland Believers in top semi-pro league in the US while Levy, a Communications graduate of Eastern Washington, played for several teams in Mexico.

Backing up the US team are 6’4 Maurice Brown, 6’3 Alvin Stephenson Jr., 6’0 Gary DiGrazia, 6’5 Nathaniel Gore with local reinforcements MBA veterans Chris Mendoza, Kalani Fereria, VJ Santos and actor Carlos Morales.