MANILA, Philippines?Two foreign high school players with Filipino roots will beef up the Nokia Philippine Youth Team set to compete in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) youth tournament in Kuala Lumpur on May 1.

Canada?s Norbert Torres and Kyle Pascual of California have been tapped to join the under-18 squad after impressive performances during tryouts in the United States.

The two recruits are expected to arrive in Manila soon, team officials told the Philippine Daily Inquirer recently.

Torres is a versatile 6-foot-6 big man who averages five blocks a game for the Mother Teresa High School in Ontario, while Pascual is a brawny 6-foot-5 forward playing for Esperanza High School in Anaheim.

Mentored by De La Salle University?s multi-titled coach Franz Pumaren, the youth team will arrive Thursday after a two-week training at the renowned Joe Abunassar Impact Basketball in Carson City, California.

The squad also competed in tune-up games versus the Hooptown International Youth Basketball All-Stars, a group of varsity Fil-Am players that included Pascual.

Before leaving for the US, the youth team lost four games playing as a guest squad in the PBL.

Bannered by team captain Frank Golla of Ateneo de Manila University, La Salle Zobel?s Jed Manguera, University of the Philippines? Mark Lopez and Joseph Marata, Xavier?s Gabriel Banal and Sacred Heart-Cagayan de Oro?s Philip Paredes, the squad will play four more matches in the amateur league starting April 10.