Manila kids stand out in Jr. NBA national camp

MANILA, Philippines – Seven boys from Manila, one from Pampanga, one from Davao and one from General Santos City ruled the Jr. NBA Philippines 2013 presented by Alaska on its sixth consecutive staging in the country.

Marvin Sario, Vince Jansel Ferrer, Samuel Abujihleh, Gian Robert Mamuyac, Ricci Paolo Rivero, Christian Tyler Tio, Miguel Alejandro Fortuna of Manila, Pawandeep Singh of Pampanga, Mahloney Tarranza of Davao and Anthony Sistoza of General Santos City are the new batch of Jr. NBA All Stars who will be rewarded with an authentic NBA experience and the opportunity to play against a counterpart Jr. NBA team abroad.

Fortuna and Ferrer are the younger siblings of collegiate players Jeric Fortuna and Kevin Ferrer, both of the University of Santo Tomas.

The boys, aged 13 and 14, were the top achievers in the three-day boot camp that put together the best 50 players culled from the Regional Selection Camps held in Dagupan, Davao, Lucena, Metro Manila and the Alaska Power Camp in March and early April.

This year’s national training camp – the high point of the Jr. NBA program that started off with coaches clinics school clinics in four key cities and advanced into regional selection camps that chose the final participants – was jointly conducted by NBA Legend Muggsy Bogues, Jr. NBA Head Coach and Senior Director for Basketball Operations of NBA Asia Sefu Bernard, PBA Legend Jojo Lastimosa and coaches from the key cities who were candidates for Jr. NBA Coach of the Year.

Coach Raymon Mercader of Quezon, Bukidnon, was selected as the 2013 Jr. NBA Coach of the Year by presenting partner Alaska for having grown the sport of basketball in the Philippines while promoting the Jr. NBA S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect to young basketball athletes.

The following players received special awards for their outstanding achievements in the National Training Camp: Allane Barles of Bulacan, the Rexona Master Sportsmanship Award; Lorenz Viajar of Agusan del Norte, the Gatorade Hustle Award; Miguel Ratuiste of Quezon Province, the BTV Rising STAR Award, Anthony Sistoza of General Santos City, the Phoenix Petroleum All Star Player of the Game and Christian Tyler Tio of Manila, the 2013 Alaska Ambassador. Most Valuable Player of the 2013 Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Alaska was Ricci Paolo Rivero of Manila.

A highlight of this year’s National Training Camp was the first ever Jr. NBA Alumni All Star Exhibition Game played between Team Muggsy and Team Jolas, starring Jr. NBA Alumni from 2007 to 2012.

The intensely fought game went into overtime, 44-all. Both alumni teams were powered by Jr. NBA alumni from Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles who just the day before had won the basketball championship in the recently concluded Palarong Pambansa over NCR, bringing to Central Visayas, its first title in 23 years. The hero of that game, Dawn Ochea who will play for the Adamson Falcons in UAAP Season 76, provided sparks for Team Jolas.

Team Muggsy won, 52-46, behind the heroics of 2007 alumnus Aljon Mariano, the first ever Jr. NBA MVP, now playing with the UST Growling Tigers.

Other members of Team Muggsy were Manilans Hubert Cani, Carlo Escalambre, Roald Mayor, Patriuck Ramirez, Patrick Go, Camillus Altamirano, Mio Puno, and Cebuanos Arnie Padilla, Arc Araw-Araw and Miguel Competente.

Team Jolas was captained by UP’s Henry Asilum and got balanced play from Kobe Paras, Aljun Melecio, Tzaddy Rangel, Jarrell Lim, Thristan Laman, RK Ilagan, Aldrin Fegidero and Paul Dagunan. Dawn Ochea and spitfire Rendell Senining were the Cebuanos on the team.