Video premiere, cage clinic mark league’s bash

The much-awaited first comprehensive video documentary on the glorious 20 years of the PBL dubbed as "PBL: 20 Years and Beyond" will have its premiere today at the Atrium of the SM Megamall Bldg. A.

Likewise, some 300 kids aged nine to 14 years old will jam with players from four PBL teams — Nutrilicious, Viva Mineral Water, John-O and LBC-Batangas Blades — as they learn the basics of basketball in the clinic set 12 nn to 8 p.m.

The one-hour video outlines the beginnings of the country’s premiere amateur league in 1983, the different stars that shaped the different eras of the PBL, and how a small league evolved into today’s most respectable amateur basketball organization through the various successes it achieved in basketball development.

"This was never done before, and this is the rare opportunity for the past and present PBL family and supporters to witness this documentary," said PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad.

"We believe that it is fitting to know and understand the glorious past — the struggles and the successes — of the league that has achieved so much for Philippine basketball for us to move and map out better programs for successes in the name of basketball development," he added.

The video premiere is also expected to be a big gathering of former and present PBL stars, basketball legends and sports officials who shaped the history of the PBL.

For the first time in years, these personalities as well as PBL fans and supporters can take another glimpse of the old pictures, the pages of PBL history, the memories and the evolution of basketball fashion through the years.

Kids will also take time to learn the ABC’s of basketball with Nutri-licious led by 6’7 Irvin Sotto, three-point shooter Ismael Junio, 6’5 Al Federiso and La Salle’s Michael Vainio from 12 noon to 2 p.m. and Viva Mineral Water spearheaded by FEU Tamaraws 6’5 Mark Isip, 6’8 Don Yabut, RP national Francis Gerard Jones, Dennis Miranda and Warren Ybanez from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The clinic goes on with John-O together with 6’5 Ranidel de Ocampo, 6’5 Ricky Calimag, Mark Macapagal and Celino Cruz from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and LBC-Batangas Blades joined by Nicole Uy, Paul Reguera, MC Caceres and American Alex Compton from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.