Youngstars league in full swing

It’s the chance of a lifetime for 1,700 kids to play the game they love with a passion in the Youngstars league supervised by the PBA and sponsored by Coca-Cola. All over the country, the PBA and Coca-Cola are joining hands to lay the groundwork for kids in the 13-16 age bracket to work their way to the six-team National Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in May.

The youth program is now on its ninth year starting with the Junior PBA league of former commissioner Noli Eala to the Batang PBA initiative of former commissioner Sonny Barrios to the Youngstars tournament of commissioner Chito Salud. Throughout the years, PBA special assistant to the commissioner and media bureau chief Willy Marcial has been at the forefront of promoting the annual event.

Last year, the PBA signed an agreement with Coca-Cola to partner in organizing the first Youngstars National Finals. The activity was a huge success and this year, Coca-Cola vice president for public affairs and communications Adel Tamano has renewed the partnership to expose the country’s future stars to the PBA experience.

The National Finals will gather six teams to vie for the championship at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The finalists are the four qualifiers from the regionals (Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) and the top two finishers of the National Capital Region.  “The kids will experience what it’s like playing in the PBA,” said Marcial. “We’ll use PBA referees and table officials. We’ll run the music we hear during a PBA game. We’ll provide for all the uniforms, board, lodging and transportation. This is an all-expenses-paid activity for the kids. We want the kids to remember this experience for the rest of their lives and who knows, maybe some of them will become PBA players in the future. One of our Youngstars graduates is Kiefer Ravena who’s now a star with Ateneo.”

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In Metro Manila, Marcial said the Youngstars league won’t only be in the 13-16 age bracket but also in the 9-12 category. The 9-12 tournament has assembled a cast of 13 teams and reeled off at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Friday. The participating teams are Cainta, KABAKA of Rep. Amado Bagatsing, City of Manila, San Juan, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Caloocan, Marikina, Navotas, Valenzuela, Pasig and Rizal Province. PBA supervisor of officials Ramil Cruz is the tournament commissioner. Marcial said among the former PBA players pitching in to promote the Youngstars league in Metro Manila are Jason Webb, Willie Generalao and Gerry Esplana. The regional coordinators include Yayoy Alcoseba of Cebu, Pete Alfaro of Mindanao, Tony Agustin of Bacolod, Danny Soria of Northern Luzon and Ranel Villa del Rey, Jed Cauntay and Gherome Ejercito of Southern Luzon.

Marcial said the 9-12 tournament will end on April 19. The teams are split into two groups with the top two finishers advancing to the crossover semifinals and the winners disputing the championship. The PBA 24-second shot clock, the FIBA three-point arc, a limit of five personal fouls for each player and five team fouls before entering penalty, a 10-second timeline to cross the halfcourt and 10 minutes of running time and two minutes of stop time every quarter are among the rules of engagement. Last year, Marikina defeated Rizal, 54-49, in the 9-12 championship game.

Marcial said the feedback from the provinces is overwhelming. “In Iloilo, there are 200 kids playing in 12 teams and our promoter Robert Yu of Toyota, also an SBP director, had to turn down so many teams that wanted to participate,” said Marcial. “We provided uniforms for only 12 teams but some teams volunteered to join even without our uniforms. In the end, we had to limit the participation to 12 teams. In Cebu, Commissioner Salud will be at the opening of the games on April 22 in two venues with over 300 kids playing. The top three provincial placers will compete in the regional qualifiers to determine which teams will go to the National Finals.”

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The top contenders in last year’s regional qualifiers were Divine Word Academy of Dagupan, Cauayan City of Isabela and Holy Angel University of Pampanga in Northern Luzon, St. Bridget College of Batangas, District I of Laguna and Dasmariñas of Cavite in Southern Luzon, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos of Bacolod, University of Cebu and Iloilo Central Commerce High School in the Visayas, Barangay San Isidro of General Santos City, Assumption of Cagayan de Oro and Holy Child School of Davao in Mindanao and Taytay, Caloocan, Manila, Rizal, San Juan, Quezon City and Marikina in the National Capital Region.  The six National Finals teams were Holy Angel, District I of Laguna, University of Cebu, Holy Child, Taytay and Caloocan.

Taytay, represented by San Beda, swept its five assignments to top the first Youngstars National Finals. Coach Troy Umali’s stars included MVP John Ryan Gumtang, ex-PBA cager Freddie Abuda’s son Franz, Mark Diputado and Norrish Decapia. Taytay crushed Cebu, 83-66, for the crown after repulsing Caloocan, 108-75, Holy Child, 106-70, District I of Laguna, 103-64 and Holy Angel, 82-63.

Aside from the Youngstars league, the PBA is also running a series of nine two-hour camps with Meralco assistant coach Ronnie Magsanoc at the helm for kids in the 9-16 bracket before the start of the first game in every PBA doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum beginning last Wednesday. Up to 50 kids are enrolled in the camp. Marcial said the campers are given free tickets to stay and watch the PBA games after their workout.