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MANILA— Ateneo’s Jay Javelosa and San Beda’s Arvin Tolentino lead the final 12-man lineup of the Energen Pilipinas Under-16 Youth Team set to compete in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) Youth Championships next week.
Filipino-Americans Louie Brill, a 5-foot-11 guard, and the six-foot Nick Dalafu also made the final cut of the squad mentored by former PBA cager Olsen Racela.
The five-nation tournament, a qualifier for the Fiba Asia youth championships, is slated on Aug. 9 to 13 in Banting City, Selangor, Malaysia.
“Quickness and outside shooting were the main factors we considered when we formed this team,” said Racela.
The team, which has an average height of six feet, lists the 6-foot-5 duo of Daryl Pascual (Perpetual Help) and Gideon Babilonia (San Beda) and the 6-foot-4 pair of Gelo Vito (La Salle Green Hills) and Javelosa as the tallest.
Rounding up the squad are Henry Asilum of Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu, Kyles Lao of Xavier School, Hubert Cani of La Salle Green Hills, Ranbill Tongco and Rev Diputado of San Beda.
“It’s a pretty solid squad and I’m sure we’ll be competitive,” said Racela. “We’ve been together for enough time to convince me that this is the type of team that will go all out every second for the country.”
Brill, the son of former Northern Consolidated Cement guard Louie Brill, suited up for Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Maryland.
Dalafu, who was raised in California, currently studies at the Victory Christian International School in Pasig City.
“Everyone is excited and all of us in Energen Pilipinas know it’s a rare opportunity for us to represent the country, so we’ll really give it our best,” said Racela.
Also listed as reserves are Andrei Caracut (San Beda), Isaac Go (Xavier) and Earl Murphy (Southville International).
“We brought along three extra players who will play vital roles during our practices and scrimmages,” said Racela.
The Philippines will go up against Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Laos in a round-robin format where the champion will represent the region in the Fiba Asia tournament on October 18 to 28 in Vietnam.