Validating basketball’s popularity among young dribblers in Negros Occidental and neighboring provinces, a record-breaking number of 246 participants joined the Jr. NBA Regional Selection, Saturday at the St. John’s Institute in Bacolod City.

Led by former Toronto Raptors clinician and assistant Jama Mahlalela, the Jr. NBA team selected from the participants the top 10 players from the Bacolod tryout, who will join the national training camp at the Xavier School Gym at Greenhills, San Juan on April 9 and 10.

While he commended the local partners of the Jr. NBA in Bacolod for drumming up support for the program, Mahlalela said he was impressed with the skills and performance of the kids from Bacolod City.

“While those from Cebu are taller, the ones here in Bacolod have the speed and outstanding skills. They are quicker and the turnout is much better,” Mahlalela said.

From the total participants, top 40 players were selected and divided into different groups for scrimmage.

After the workout, the top 10 players named to join the national training camp were: Jorine Cercado and Karl Joshua Mana-ay of Ateneo de Iloilo, Jansen Gonzales and Orvie Bautista of Trinity Christian School, Michael Lorenz Balantig of Cebu Eastern College;

Jethro Jireh Arroyo of St. John’s Institute, Giovanni Laguyo of University of St. La Salle Integrated School, Ralph Penuela of St. Joseph School-Iloilo, Jerome Clifford Calesterio of Sun Yat Sen High School, Iloilo and John Lorenz Toral of University of Negros Occidental- Recoletos.

Jorine, who also joined the Jr. NBA camp last year, is the son of former local basketballs standout Jophil Cercado from Central Manapla.

The elder Cercado, who also coaches the Ateneo de Iloilo elementary basketball team, said the Jr. NBA program provides the necessary training for children who demonstrate a passion for basketball.

Aside from the advanced skills, he said the young basketeers learn the principles and different approaches to improve their talent.

Holding the training in Bacolod for the first time, the 2011 Jr. NBA Philippines Program, presented by Alaska, received an enthusiastic response from coaches, parents and kids in the area.

Assisting them are local organizers led by Dennis Co and Roger Montalbo, whose son Kib, was chosen to join the Jr. NBA All-Star last year that competed in Beijing, China.

“The program emphasizes the STAR values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect besides basketball skills. This will make the kids not just better athletes but also better persons inside and outside of the court,” the elder Montalbo said.

The Jr. NBA participants’ standings in the regional selection were determined by their total scores in five skills stations: the Alaska Layup Station, the Gatorade Dribbling Station, the Hi-Smart Shooting Station, the BTV Passing Station and the Asia Miles Footwork Station.

They were also given vitals checks, tests of speed, stamina, flexibility and vertical leaping ability. The Top 40 who registered the highest scores in the vitals tests and skills stations joined the scrimmage where the top 10 were selected.

After Bacolod, two more regional selection camps will be held in Biñan, Laguna (March 24) and Manila (March 26).

The selection of the Top 10 players from the 50 national training camp participants will be held at the SM Mall of Asia on April 11.*NAB

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