Varsity stars named to 25-man national pool

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) yesterday named 25 players to the developmental pool from where the national teams competing in the 2009 SEA Games, 2010 Asian Games and 2011 Fiba Asia Men’s Championship will be selected.

Collegiate stars Chris Tiu and Rabeh Al-Hussaini of reigning UAAP champion Ateneo, Ogie Menor of three-peat NCAA titlist San Beda and JV Casio and Rico Maierhofer of La Salle head the initial roster of players selected by the SBP National team program group headed by project director Rajko Toroman. Other members of the selection group include Norman Black, Chot Reyes, Eric Altamirano, Alan Gregorio, Yayoy Alcoseba, Fritz Gaston, Bernie Atienza and Butch Antonio. 

NCAA MVP Jason Ballesteros of San Sebastian, San Sebastian’s high school standout Arvie Bringas and 7-foot Fil-Am Greg Slaughter of University of Visayas and Joey Deas, another Fil-Am hotshot from Rockhurst University in Kansas are also in the list.

“This is what the SBP program is all about, a long-term build-up to 2012 starting with this talented roster,” said SBP executive director Noli Eala. “The long road to London begins today (yesterday) and we know it will take a lot of sacrifice and hard work from all SBP members.”

Toroman, tapped to oversee the RP cage program after steering Iran to last August’s Beijing Olympics, said he was impressed by the 25-man list which he described as “full of promise and potential.”

Black, who was coach of the all-pro squad in the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, also lauded the pool saying it’s “the best basketball team outside of the pros.”

Also in the roster are Ateneo’s Ryan Buenafe and Nonoy Baclao, Far Eastern U’s Mark Barroca, Mac Baracael and JR Cawaling, University of the East’s Marcy Arellano and Paul Lee, Letran’s RJ Jazul, University of Santo Tomas’ Dylan Ababou, La Salle’s Peejay Barua, University of Cebu’s Rico Fajardo, University of the Philippines’ Magi Sison and Martin Reyes and Santo Tomas’ Jervy Cruz.

Pampanga Buddies’ Terrel Theophile and Reedley’s Philipp Paredes complete the developmental pool.

The SBP is also considering United States-based Japeth Aguilar and Gian Chiu but deferred making the decision pending final discussion with their respective camps.

SBP president Manny Pangilinan, who is at the forefront of the Olympic quest for basketball, expressed satisfaction with the selection of the National Team Committee. Smart, PLDT and Harbour Center have expressed interest this early to bankroll the long-term program of the SBP national team.

“At least they have their pool now,” said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao, named by the PBA to handle the RP team seeing action in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. “Other than that, I won’t say anything more because that’s outside my scope because I’m only until 2010.”

The SBP will send part of the team to its first international tournament - the Asian-CBO Men’s Basketball Invitational slated Dec. 17-21 in Pingguo, Guanxi, China.

Then the pool will be competing in the 2009 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos, 2010 Asian Games in China and 2011 International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Asia Men’s Championship.

A full schedule also awaits the team next year, including stints in the import-laced Fiba-Asia Champion’s Cup in May, Stankovich Cup in October and training camps in Serbia and the US in March and April, respectively.