UAAP juniors star Jerie Pingoy and two Ateneo big men beef up the Energen Pilipinas under-18 team set to compete in the 22nd Fiba Asia U18 Championship next week in Mongolia.
Pingoy, a 5-foot-8 guard from Far Eastern University, makes his international debut a year after bagging the UAAP juniors Most Valuable Player plum.
Kris Porter, a former UAAP juniors Mythical Team member, also joins the youth team’s bid for the first time, while fellow Ateneo seniors squad rookie Gideon Babilonia suits up anew.
Babilonia returns with under-16 team holdovers Jay Alejandro and Hubert Cani (National University), Jay Javelosa (Reedley International) and Prince Rivero (La Salle Green Hills).
“We’re more experienced,” said national youth coach Olsen Racela. “We’re in the toughest group, so we’ll need their experience and strength in going up against bigger opponents.”
The Philippines got drawn in Group D with two-time champion Iran, 2008 runner-up Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia for the preliminary round of the tournament slated August 17 to 26 in Ulaanbaatar.
Completing the 12-man lineup are guard Rey Nambatac (Letran), forwards Mario Bonleon (La Salle Green Hills), Kyle Suarez (University of the Philippines) and Mark Olayon (University of the East) and center Kent Lao (University of Santo Tomas).
“We’d also like to thank the UAAP and the NCAA for lending their players,” said Racela.
In previous campaigns, the youth team missed the services of several key cogs since the international basketball calendar coincides with the local varsity leagues.
The 16-nation contest serves as a qualifier for the Fiba U19 World Championship set in Czech Republic from June 27 to July 7, 2013.