Jun B, sports leaders form youth tourney

Some of the country’s former top cage officials both in the amateur and pro leagues have closed ranks to put up a basketball tournament focusing on the youth, particularly on high school players, in a World Basketball Championship-type of a competition that is truly national in scope.

Dubbed the "Sunkist Youth Basketball Championship," the tournament, organized and managed by the newly-formed Sports Vision Management Group, Inc. (SVMGI) for its initial venture, will gather the best and the brightest high school teams in the country. It hopes to provide the youth the much-needed attention and exposure to prepare them for tougher, challenging competitions here and abroad. 

Former PBA commissioner Emilio "Jun" Bernardino and Mauricio "Moying" Martelino who served as Asian Basketball Confederation secretary general from 1989 to 1998 are on top of the project which aims not only to improve the basketball skills of the participants but also to help ensure the proper formation of their moral and academic values. 

"It’s like shooting two birds with one stone since we not only want to give the youth the proper venue where they can hone and sharpen their skills but also to instill discipline in them and help make them better persons," said Bernardino.  

Upon retirement late last year, Bernardino had thought of putting up a consultation or event management group to remain in the mainstream of the sporting world, particularly basketball which he served for more than two decades, nearly half of which at the helm of the pro league. 

"It’s a good thing Moying (Martelino) was also interested in the project and was so eager in coming up with something like this. So with the backing of others, we drew up the program wherein we focused on the very sector which needs so much attention - the youth, specifically the high school students," said Bernardino.

Sports Vision counts among its directors personalities who have distinguished themselves in the sport -- the likes of former national and PBA team manager Elmer Yanga, former PBA executive director Sonny Barrios, former PBA chairman Iggy Yenko, former Ginebra stalwart and the last commissioner of the now-defunct MBA Chito Loyzaga, cager-turned-banker and restaurateur now also PAVA treasurer Ricky Palou, topnotch lawyer Edgar Francisco, former ABC communications manager Rhea Navarro and coach Norman Black, one of PBA’s victorious coaches and architect of San Miguel Beer’s 1989 grandslam win. 

The novel tournament is patterned after the World Basketball Championship wherein 16 invited teams will be divided into four groups. Each division will play one round with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The non-qualifiers will then play consolation matches. 

In the quarters, the eight qualifiers will be divided into two groups and will each play one round with the best two teams advancing to the crossover semifinals. The non-qualifiers will be relegated to the consolation pool.

The two winners in the semis will clash for the championship and the two others dispute third place honors.

"We believe this is going to be successful, given the format of the tournament and the caliber of the teams invited to the event," added the amiable Bernardino under whose reins the pro league enjoyed tremendous success and public acceptance. "We hope to institutionalize it in the future."

Sharing the same sentiment, RFM Corporations president and chief executive officer Jose Concepcion III didn’t think twice when asked to support the event. Thus Sunkist readily came into the fold as the title sponsor providing all major assistance to the tournament. 

Joining Sunkist in sponsoring the youth cage tourney are Air Philippines, the official carrier of the championship, Purefoods which is the official hotdogs; and Alaska Milk, Molten and Burlington.

Mayor Jejomar Binay is also rendering support to the project and gave his nod for the city of Makati to be the official host of the Sunkist Youth Basketball Championship.

The tournament will fire off on April 3 with the games being played simultaneously at the Makati Coliseum on Mascardo Street, La Paz Village and the Koliseyum ng Bayan in Washington Street, Buendia while the coaches meeting will be held Wednesday, at 6 p.m.

Sports Vision and the Sunkist Youth Basketball Championship will be launched at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum on Tuesday at the Manila Pavilion Hotel.