Fil-Am out of RP team

MANILA, Philippines - Brandon Rosner, the talented 6-7 Filipino American, will not suit up for the Philippine three-on-three basketball team competing in the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore this August.

Eric Altamirano, the RP Youth team coach who is serving as a consultant to Mon Jose in the Singapore-bound squad, yesterday said the 16-year-old Rosner’s parents decided against their son joining the Nationals.

“The parents don’t want to,” said Altamirano, whose Under-18 squad is participating in the FIBA-Asia Championships slated Sept. 22-Oct. 1 in Yemen.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala earlier said they would tap Rosner for the YOG team that also includes Fil-Am Ray Ray Parks, Michael Tolomia and Jeron Teng.

“We have decided on the lineup of our team in the YOG except for one slot,” said Eala.

Michael Pate, a prolific guard from La Salle-Greenhills, will thus be the fourth and final member of the team.

Altamirano first spotted Rosner when his team played some pick-up games against high school teams in Indiana and saw great potential in the youth cager.

RP is bracketed with Spain, South Africa, Croatia and US Virgin Island in Group D. The RP squad needed to win two matches in order to advance into the next round of the competition.

The Philippines plays US Virgin Island on Aug. 16 then meets Spain the following day. Croatia is the next assignment for the squad on Aug. 18 and ends the elimination round against South Africa the following day.