Jr Warriors reach Passerelle quarterfinals

MANILA, Philippines - The University of the East Jr. Red Warriors upstaged St. Anthony School, 61-51, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the BEST Center Passerelle basketball tournament Saturday at The Arena in San Juan.

The win was the third for coach Mark Herrera’s Team B, which also routed Malate High School, 70-49, and Don Bosco Makati, 60-40, losing only to La Salle Greenhills for a 3-1 win-loss mark.

Herrera, rookie coach of the Junior Warriors, initiated a comprehensive development program this year to prepare his Team B players who will eventually take over in future UAAP junior tournaments.

The UE Junior Warriors finished seventh among eight teams last season.

“This prestigious league will help develop the skills of the newly recruited players of the Jr. Warriors and will prepare them for the more serious basketball tournaments such as the UAAP,” said Herrera, also the head coach of the grand slam Jr. PBA champion Talk ‘n Text QC team and the RP Youth U-13.

“It is a tough challenge for me to start from scratch in developing these boys’ skills but they have a very good potential,” he added.