National pool for Fiba U-18 caging bared

MANILA, Philippines - The 15-man Nokia RP U-18 pool left for the US last night to undergo further training and seasoning under famed college mentor and former NBA assistant coach Ed Schilling in preparation for the Fiba-Asia U-18 Championships set Sept. 22-Oct. 1 in Yemen.

The members of the pool were formally announced in a dinner tendered by sponsors Nokia Philippines and TAO Corp. for the team officials and families at the Cafe of Champions at the TAO Corporate Center in Makati last Thursday.

Making up the squad to be coached by Eric Altamirano are Russel Escoto, Kevin Ferrer, Jeth Troy Rosario, Von Pessumal, Michael Pate, Gwyne Capacio, Mike Tolomia, Jeron Teng, Joshua Angelo Alolino, Roldan Sara, Cederick Labing-isa, Paolo Romero, Raphael Banal, Kiefer Ravena and Kyle Neypes.

Ferrer, Pessumal, Pate, Tolomia, Teng, Alolino, Sara, Labingisa, Romero and Ravena were the holdovers from the Nokia RP U-16 team that placed fourth and reached as far as the semifinals of the first-ever Fiba-Asia U-16 Championships in Johor Bahru, Malaysia last year.

Nokia Phils. general manager Benoit Nalin, TAO Corp. president Jun Sy and head of Nokia Pilipinas Youth Basketball Program Joel Lopa wished the players well as they will surely gain more basketball knowledge under Schilling.

Nalin and Sy both reminded the team members of their duty to play not only for themselves, but more importantly for the country.

“You are not only doing this for yourself but for your country,” Nalin said.

Sy added: “The Nokia RP U-18 team should be the face of hope for the Filipino youth today.”

For his part, Lopa said that, through the team, the program had grown leaps and bounds after starting out two years ago with a seventh place finish in Iran and a fourth place finish in Malaysia.

“As you take another step in your preparation for the Fiba-Asia Championships, in behalf of the SBP, I would like to thank all of you for the sacrifices you are making for our flag and country,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala.

The players will train under Schilling, who at one time was assistant coach of the New Jersey Nets aside from assistant coaching stints in University of Memphis and Massachusetts. He is currently executive director of the Champions Academy located at Whitestown, Indiana.

Following the 11-day training camp, the players will move on to Los Angeles to play high squads like the Peninsula HS Varsity on May 24 and San Pedro Knights Elite HS team on May 25 before flying back to Manila.

“This will be the perfect opportunity to toughen up the team. It is definitely better for us to train more to condition ourselves to the tough conditions of the Fiba Asia tournament. We will make sure that we are ready come tournament time,”said Altamirano, who will be joined by coaching staff members Joey Guanio, Vic Ycasiano, Mon Jose along with conditioning coach Dan Rose and physical therapist Jimbo Corre.