SBP to form league to test 13-under kids

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is set to form a league that will showcase the talents of the 48 players of the national 13-under team that will compete in the National Association Basketball League in Florida, USA in June.

National 13-Under coach Mark Herrera said the staging of the tournament was discussed in a meeting with SBP chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas and National Youth Commission chairman Nic Jorge.

Herrera and his coaching staff had conducted Metro-wide tryouts where the top 60 were chosen from a field of over 400 for his initial pool of players. Similar tryouts have also been conducted in Davao, with Cebu and Luzon the next stops before he finalizes the list of 48 players in the developmental pool.

Under the plan, the 48 players will be divided into four teams which will compete in mini-tournaments among themselves to hone their skills and eventually serve as their final tryouts for the 13-under national team. The team will compete in Singapore in February this year and in Florida in June.

“I’m very excited for this league because with the support of Mr. Pangilinan and the whole management of SBP, the dreams of these young boys can come true” said Herrera, two-time champion of the Jr. PBA league and assistant coach of the PBL’s Burger Kings.

The league is expected to start this month.

“This is just a friendly competition among the four teams we created. This will prepare the kids for the upcoming leagues that we intend to join. There is no definite schedule yet as to the opening of the league. We will announce it as soon as we have finalized everything,” Herrera said.