Six NBA juniors off to New York

MANILA, Philippines - The Fantastic Six of the 2008-09 Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Hi-Smart flew to New York yesterday to begin their New York-New Jersey tour that includes watching a live NBA game between the New Jersey Nets and the Charlotte Bobcats, playing a friendly match against the Jr. NBA New Jersey team, meeting NBA legend Ron Harper and a city tour in the Big Apple.

Mark Jayven Tallo, son of ex-PBA player Mark Anthony Tallo and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Jr. NBA Philippines program, leads the six-pack of talented youngsters which include Michael Jay Javelosa of Ateneo, Jose Carlo Escalambre from Casa del Niño Montessori of Isabela, Arc Gabrielle Araw-Araw and Adrian Marvin Roland Muller of the Sacred Heart School in Cebu and Aldrin Fegidero of Pasay South City High School.

Former PBA star and Jr. NBA coach Elmer Cabahug will also join the tour as coach.

First in the agenda of the young cagers is a tour of the NBA New Jersey studio, followed by practice conducted by Harper at the Izod Center.

They get to attend the Nets’ pre-game shoot-around later in the day and get up close and personal with Nets stars led by Vince Carter and Devin Harris. The boys will view the Nets-Bobcats game wearing their official Jr. NBA track suits.

The young cagers face a taller, heftier Jr. NBA New Jersey team the next day and will spend all day Wednesday taking in New York City.

From the empire State Building to Rockefeller Center to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, to Time Square and Broadway, the tean will be whisked around town in an official vehicle.

They will also be able to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero during their city tour.