Jr. NBA program resumes next month

MANILA, Philippines - The 2010 Jr. NBA Philippines program will go full blast next month with a series of clinics, tryouts and regional training camps aimed at producing top caliber players from 12 to 14 years old.

Organizers of the event, presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins, said the program will start with the coaches’ clinics in Manila, Cebu and Davao in January with the school clinics and tryouts also set next month and February.

The regional training camps will be held in March while the top eight campers will be picked in April at the National Training Camp.

No less than the top six campers last year agreed the Jr. NBA basketball program is an event that should benefit players wanting to hone their skills and talent and make it big some day.

“It gives young Filipinos like us the chance to learn world-class basketball and it helps boost our young basketball careers,” said Jose Carlo Escalambre, one of the top campers in the NBA-backed project.

The Isabela-based Escalambre was a direct beneficiary of the program along with Mark Jayven Tallo, Arc Gabrielle Araw Araw and Adrian Marvin Roland Muller of Cebu and Michael Jay Javelosa and Aldrin Fegidero of Manila.

The six were sent to the United States last April for topping the Jr. NBA National Training Camp where they played with the New Jersey Jr. NBA All-Star Team and met with former NBA player Ron Harper.

“I really learned a lot from the Jr. NBA program, it instilled in me the values of discipline, hard work and team effort in us and also taught us how to apply the S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect in our everyday lives,” said Escalambre, now a member of the San Sebastian Staglets.

Fegidero, for his part, transferred from Pasay City High School to Jose Rizal to become the Light Bombers’ top center while Tallo eventually became a league MVP back home in Cebu after helping steer Cebu Institute of Technology its first ever title.

Araw Araw and Muller, meanwhile, were the 1-2 punch of the Sacred Heart School Baby Eagles and are preparing to join the NBTC 14-under division alongside Fegidero in January.

Javelosa, still a grade-schooler, is seeing action for Ateneo in the Metro Manila Basketball League.

This year, organizers expect a record 300 schools to benefit from the program with around 30,000 students, parents and coaches. For details, log on to www.nba.com/jrnba/philippines.