After all the camps, the practices, the coaching, and everything in between, NBA Philippines finally named the 2018 Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars Sunday at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Through the help of WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes and Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein, the top eight boys and girls we’re picked and they will be rewarded of a trip to Shanghai in October to watch the 2018 NBA China Games featuring the Dallas Mavericks and the Philadelphia 76rs.
Prince Ray Alao of San Beda University was hailed as the MVP for the boys division and he’s joined by the other seven young hoopers who made the cut in Nathan Jan Jundana, Ethan Rod Alian, John Lester Amagan, Seven Gagate, Christian Joi Mesias, Rhon Khaniel Telles, and Kim Aaron Tamayo.
Pauline Angelique Valle of Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School was the girls’ MVP and the other players selected were Marielle Vingno, Kyla Marie Mataga, Arriane Esquivel, Gin Kyla Rellequtte, Christine Nicholle Venterez, Aishe Solis, and Madelyn Flores.
These players were trained and picked by Swoopes and Cauley-Stein out of 40,000 participants from various camps by Alaska and NBA Philippines across the country.
Meanwhile, the 2018 Coaches of the Year were Hazel Yambot for the girls and Tata Belangel for the boys.
The last day of the National Training Camp saw NBA Jr. Philippines Alumni All-Stars like Kai Sotto, Kenji Duremedes, and Echo Laure play in an exhibition game before the top 20 boys and girls competed for the top 16 spots.
This year’s Jr. NBA presented by Alaska is the 11th edition of the NTC and after another successful program, NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson shared they’re upcoming events.
“In a couple of weeks we’ll be having the NBA Finals, we’ll be bringing in a player around here to help celebrate the NBA Finals with us,” Singson said.
“I’m not gonna tell you his name yet but he’s obviously on the team that’s not gonna be playing in the NBA Finals but I think people will be excited to see him and meet him and we’re gonna have a lot of activities for the NBA Finals.”
Singson then told reporters about the NBA Philippines 3×3 basketball festival which will take place late of August and stressed the importance of it especially now it’s considered as an Olympic sport.
“A couple of months after that will be the NBA 3×3 basketball festival and now that 3×3 is an Olympic sport, it’s a version of the game that FIBA is trying to grow around the world, we think the 3x event this year is taking much more greater importance as part of helping build the sport, build 3×3 players who will someday compete in the Olympics.”
Here are the additional details of the players who made the cut:
Boys Roster:
Girls Roster:
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