MANILA—The Energen Pilipinas Under-16 basketball squad is bracing for a tough grind in the next few months as it vies in two important international meets.
The Filipino cagers will see action in the 2nd Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) U-16 Qualifying Championship in Banting City, Selangor, Malaysia, on Aug. 9 to 13.
The toughest challenge, however, will come on Oct. 18 to 28 when the team of coach Olsen Racela competes in the Fiba Asia U-16 Championship in Vietnam.
“This team has a lot of potential,” said Racela during the PSA Forum yesterday at Shakey’s UN Avenue in Manila. “I’m confident we can do well.”
Team manager Jose Manuel Lopa of Tao Corp. welcomed Energen’s support, which started three years ago under coach Franz Pumaren.
The team underwent training camp in Indiana last April under former NBA assistant coach Ed Schilling, saw action in the juniors division of the FilOil Flying V Preseason tournament and played exhibition games in the NBTC finals.
Lopa said the squad has a pool of 20 players in anticipation of the schedule conflicts that may arise with the holding of the NCAA and UAAP tournaments, where most of his players see action.
“We’re keeping the pool because there might be scheduling problems,” Lopa told the forum sponsored by Accel, Smart, Shakey’s, Outlast Battery and Pagcor.
Among the notable team members are Virginia-based standout Louie Boy Brill, son of former national player Louie Brill; 6-foot-4 Californian Adam King Gupilan; and 6-4 Gideon Babilonia, son of the late PBA player Gido Babilonia.
By Cedelf P. Tupas
THE ENERGEN Pilipinas Under-16 basketball squad is bracing for a tough grind in the next few months as it vies in two important international meets.
The Filipino cagers will see action in the 2nd Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) U-16 Qualifying Championship in Banting City, Selangor, Malaysia, on Aug. 9 to 13.
The toughest challenge, however, will come on Oct. 18 to 28 when the team of coach Olsen Racela competes in the Fiba Asia U-16 Championship in Vietnam.
“This team has a lot of potential,” said Racela during the PSA Forum yesterday at Shakey’s UN Avenue in Manila. “I’m confident we can do well.”
Team manager Jose Manuel Lopa of Tao Corp. welcomed Energen’s support, which started three years ago under coach Franz Pumaren.
The team underwent training camp in Indiana last April under former NBA assistant coach Ed Schilling, saw action in the juniors division of the FilOil Flying V Preseason tournament and played exhibition games in the NBTC finals.
Lopa said the squad has a pool of 20 players in anticipation of the schedule conflicts that may arise with the holding of the NCAA and UAAP tournaments, where most of his players see action.
“We’re keeping the pool because there might be scheduling problems,” Lopa told the forum sponsored by Accel, Smart, Shakey’s, Outlast Battery and Pagcor.
Among the notable team members are Virginia-based standout Louie Boy Brill, son of former national player Louie Brill; 6-foot-4 Californian Adam King Gupilan; and 6-4 Gideon Babilonia, son of the late PBA player Gido Babilonia.