17 RP Youth bets make cut

Seventeen hopefuls were left in the RP Nokia Youth training pool as coach Franz Pumaren made another cut Monday night, relegating six players to the National Basketball Training Center.

Anton Altamirano, Luigi dela Paz, Gwyne Capacio, Don Fortun, Andrew Felix and Andrei Pantin were the latest casualties in the search for 12 players to be sent to the SEABA Youth Championship in Malaysia in May and the Asian Youth Championship in Iran in September.

Gabriel Banal, Jeric Teng, Nicolas Salva, Jed Manguera, Joseph Marata, Jerome Cruz, Jerome Ramos, Ryan Roose Garcia, Frank Golla, Joel Tolentino, Mark Lopez, Andrew Penan and Mark Jovet Mendoza remain in the pool.

Out-of-towners Philip Paredes from Cagayan de Oro and John Ray Sumido and Jairold Flores from Iloilo are to rejoin the Manila-based players in the next few days.

JP Mendoza, a 6-foot-3 forward from Tarlac, will also be given a close look. The player is highly recommended by former PBA player Gil Cortez.

“Making the latest cut is no guarantee that they’re already in. The players still have to work hard and show their dedication,” said Pumaren. “We’re not yet closing the door on provincial players. We may still be missing great talents out there.”

Marata and Teng remain in the pool even as they suffered minor injuries playing for their respective school teams.

SBP officials are hoping the players concentrate for the youth team as they step up their training for the SEABA and Asian youth jousts.

Altamirano, Dela Paz, Capacio, Fortun, Felix and Pantin have been relegated to the National Basketball Training Center where they can hone up their skills and be used for future international competitions.

“These are 15-16-year-old players. With more improvement in the NBTC, they can still be tapped for the next youth championship,” said Pumaren.   – Nelson Beltran