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Filipino youngsters are on their way to living the
ultimate dream of watching a National Basketball
Association (NBA) game live, one of the perks in the
groundbreaking stint of Jr. NBA Philippines.
Serving
as a talent search for kids aged nine to 14 years old
who excel on the basketball court, in their schools and
their communities, Jr. NBA is holding clinics, a
tournament and an advanced training camp which will be
hosted by a Jr. NBA coach based in the US.
Out of
that training camp, the six best individuals will not
only be selected to the Jr. NBA Philippine All-Star Team
but will also be awarded with a free trip to watch an
NBA game live in the 2007-’08 season.
“We are
excited to team up with the program partners to bring
Jr. NBA to the Philippines and help the development of
youth basketball in the country,” said Loron Orris,
managing director of NBA Asia Ltd.
The
school clinics, which began April 2, were two-hour
sessions conducted for 50 kids in selected schools, each
session comprising of drills, scrimmages and lectures on
sports values. The clinics culminated yesterday at the
SM Mall of Asia, where Norman Black, the event’s program
director, facilitated the session.
The Jr.
NBA Tournament, a three-day competition that kicks off
on May 16, will have each school form a roster of 12 and
compete for the championship. Among the popular schools
in the Jr. NBA school program include Ateneo de Manila,
De La Salle-Zobel, Letran, San Beda and Santo Tomas U.
A third
stage is schedule from June 4 to 6 where the top three
players of each team take up advanced courses in the Jr.
NBA Training Camp. Besides having good basketball
skills, nominated students must have good academic
standings and are active in their respective
communities.
“Besides
emphasizing fundamental skill development,” Orris added,
“the program will also provide a fun and rewarding
basketball experience where the young players can create
a bond with the game while learning what it takes to be
successful away from the court.” --Dominic Menor |
