Reporter

THE funding, the talent and the system are now in place for the P80-million three-year program of the Philippine youth team.

What remains is the players’ absolute commitment.

For the ambitious project to run according to plan, the young aspirants must make the ultimate sacrifice of foregoing any ambition to play for top-notch universities.

Such a commitment is needed because officials of the Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) are looking at an intensive training schedule for the youngsters who will need to set aside varsity glamour for national pride as early as this year.

BAP-SamahangBasketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V Pangilinan joins the members of the RP Youth team pool in a get together Saturday at Barbara’s Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila. BAP-SBP executive-director Patrick Gregorio and youth coach Franz Pumaren were also in the assembly together with BAP-SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas and assistant coach Jack Santiago. Tao Corp. president Jun Sy and Nokia country manager William Hamilton-Whyte, the main corporate backers of the team, were also present. --NonoyLacza

“Their schedule will be very hectic that’s why we’re contemplating for these players to skip the 2008 season of the UAAP [University Athtletic Association of the Philippines] or NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] para maging mas-focused sa training,” said BAP-SBP executive director Patrick Gregorio.

“That’s why we’re trying to reach a consensus here. It’s not the policy of the SBP to dictate on their schools. But it will be very hard for them if they are attending the practice of the RP team, their school and then nag-aaral pa,” Gregorio added.

The idea popped up during a get together arranged by the federation Saturday night for the families of the aspirants at Barbara’s restaurant inside the historic Intramuros in Manila.

BAP-SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan admitted the federation still has a lot of work to do in terms of the academics of the would-be members of the RP youth team that will be coached by Franz Pumaren.

“The reactions [of the schools of the players] have been mixed. We’re still reaching out to them but we cannot dictate on them because it’s never been the policy of the SBP,” said Pangilinan.

”We still have a lot of work to do. And this will not be fixed overnight,” the telecommunication mogul added.

The father of aspirant Joel Tolentino of the University of the Philippines Integrated School raised the possibility that his son will make the final cut of the RP team and at the same time be included in the varsity team as most of the 20-member pool will enter college next school year.

Gregorio assured the parents that the matter will be taken up by the federation.

The 20 aspirants were officially introduced in the dinner-cum-assembly also attended by TAO Corp. president Julio Sy Jr., the chief financier of the multimillion-peso program, and William Hamilton-Whyte, country general-manager of Nokia Philippines, also a major supporter of the team.

Besides Tolentino, also named to the pool were Gabriel Banal, Anton Altamirano, Jeric Teng, Gwyne Capacio, Nicolas Salva, Jed Manguera, Joseph Marata, Philip Paredes, John Ray Sumido, Jairold Flores, Luigi de la Paz, Jerome Cruz, Jerome Ramos, Ryan Roose Garcia, Frank Golla, Mark Lopez, Don Carlo Fortu, Joseph Terso, Mark Jovet Mendoza, Andrew Penan and Andrew Felix.

Pumaren said the pool’s composition is not yet final. He is still talking with six-foot-five Nico Monachini, a Filipino with Italian and Canadian blood, and the brothers of professional player Mike Holper and RP team player Gabe Norwood.

Two promising high-school standouts, Ryan Buenafe and Arvy Bringas of San Sebastian juniors squad, were dropped because they only showed up in the early part of the tryout.

“What we’re looking [at] here are the passion, dedication and commitment to serve the country. And these high-school players who are here are willing to serve the country at their early age,” Pumaren said.

Pumaren said he will prune the pool to 16 in a week’s time. The team will fly to the US on the third week of March to train under renowned American Joe Abunassar whose former students include National Basketball Association stars Kevin Garnett, Baron Davis and Chauncey Billups.

The youth team will compete in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association Youth Championships in Malaysia in May and in the Fiba-Asia under-18 in Iran in September. Its ultimate goal is to qualify for the World Youth Championship in 2010.

As for Pumaren’s status at De La Salle, he said he will continue to coach the reigning UAAP champion Green Archers this season, while handling the youth team at the same time.

‘Willing to set aside varsity glamour for national pride’

THE funding, the talent and the system are now in place for the P80-million three-year program of the Philippine youth team.

What remains is the players’ absolute commitment.

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