13 Young Players To Represent South Luzon at Jr. NBA PH 2017 National Training Camp

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Over 600 boys and girls from South Luzon came out to showcase their basketball skills as Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska staged its second Regional Selection Camp February 25-26 at Manuel S. Enverga University in Lucena City.

After two days of intense training and scrimmages, eight boys – Jeryk Dwight Bait, 14, of Batangas Eastern College; Marc Harold de Guzman, 13, of St. Francis National High School; Nygel Gonzales, 13, of De La Salle Lipa; Raphael Hutamares, 13, of Maryhill College; Carlos Noel Panganiban, 14 and Troy Gerard Umayao, 13, of International School for Better Beginnings, Lucena; Wrench Mason Roquid, 13, of University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, and Raphael Tolentino, 12, of Metro Lucena Integrated Learning School – topped the boys division. Five girls – Fatima Irish Alpay, 13, of Luis Palad National High School; Kristin Aira Carmona, 12, of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation; Gracey Aine de Mesa, 13, of Lucena City National High School; Jezza Oabel, 13, of University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, and Nicole Rosaldo, 12, of Tayabas West Central School – were selected to progress to the next stage of the Jr. NBA program.

The 13 young athletes produced strong performances during the skills stations and scrimmages as well as embodied the Jr. NBA core S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect throughout the camp. The young players will represent South Luzon in the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp where they will go up against top players from other Regional Selection Camps on May 11-14, 2017. The best players in the NTC – eight boys and eight girls – will be named the Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 All-Stars who will participate in an overseas NBA experience later this year. 

A Jr. WNBA participant uses her quickness to escape from the taller defender

Jr. NBA Coach Jeff Cariaso demonstrates the proper dribbling stance to a participant at the Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camp in Lucena City

Jr. WNBA 2016 Coach of the Year Ewon Arayi instructs girls how to protect the ball while dribbling

Young athletes from all over South Luzon played with aggressiveness throughout the exhibition games during Day 2 of the Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camp in Lucena City

Boys and girls aged 10-14 who want to join the free youth basketball program can still participate in the two remaining Regional Selection Camps in Cebu on March 11-12 and Manila on April 1-2. Interested participants can register at www.jrnba.asia/philippines, where the program terms and conditions can be found. 

For more information, fans can follow Jr. NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines. For all things NBA, fans can visit www.nba.com, like the NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/philsnba and follow www.twitter.com/nba_philippines on Twitter.

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Cover photo caption: The top eight boys and five girls who will represent South Luzon in the National Training Camp in Manila on May 12-14 are (L-R, Front Row): Fatima Alpay, Gracey Aine de Mesa, Kristin Aira Carmona, Jezza Oabel, and Nicole Rosaldo; (Bottom Row): Nygel Gonzales, Raphael Tolentino, Jeryk Dwight Bait, Mark Harold de Guzman, Carlos Noel Panganiban, Troy Gerard Umayao, Wrench Mason Roquid, and Raphael Hutamares