Tune-up Game. Nokia RP Youth U-16 vs. Cagayan de Oro City All-Stars.
Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan), Cagayan de Oro City.
#21 - Rene Sta. Maria III of RP Youth Team.

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Altamirano aims to groom newly-formed RP Under-16 squad

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Under-16 team coach Eric Altamirano hopes to enhance not only the skills of his players but also help form their values in time for the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) U16 championship.

Altamirano said his main focus is not only skills enhancement but to also form the values of love for country, passion for the game, integrity, leadership and commitment to excellence.

“We are hoping that the players' parents and respective schools will join us in this sacrifice for the country. We are doing this step by step," said Altamirano as he prepares the team for the SEABA U16 Championship Juniors Men Qualifying Tournament.

The SEABA Youth tournament, which is a qualifier for the FIBA Asia U16 Junior Men’s tournament to be held on November this year, is set from July 25 to 29 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

Part of the team’s preparation will be a two-month long exhibition games against other teams. They will also take part in the Nike Elite Basketball Camp at Brent in Laguna from April 3 to 8 and several mini-tournaments in Australia from April 12 to 22.

The 16-member squad, which will be trimmed to 12 before the SEABA tournament, will also be part of the Nike Summer League and the Molten Invitational in Japan in May and June.

Members of the Nokia Under-16 men’s junior team are Gelo Alolino (UPHR); Kevin Ferrer and Cederick Labin-isa (UST); Roldan Sara, John Aldrin Lunas, Raphael Nayve and Kristoffer dela Costa (San Beda Taytay); Von Rolfe Pessumal, Kiefer Ravena and Paolo Romero (Ateneo); Cris Michael Tolomia (FEU); Jeron Teng (Xavier); Michael Pate (International School for Better Beginners in Lucena); Jeoffrey Javillonar (Benedictine International School); Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (St. George International School) and Rene Sta. Maria.

In order to earn the support of the schools and parents of the players, team manager Joel Lopa met with them last weekend at the Valle Verde Country Club where assistants Joey Guanio and Vic Ycasiano were also introduced together with scout Mon Jose and strength and conditioning coach Dan Rose.

San Beda coach Ato Badolato, Ateneo juniors mentor Jamike Jarin and Far Eastern University high school team bench tactician Horacio Lim serve as the RP Under-16 team’s advisers with Ito Lopa as the head of operations. – GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/148355/Altamirano-aims-to-groom-newly-formed-RP-Under-16-squad

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Players from the Nokia NBTC D-League pose during a tryout for the Nokia RP Youth
Team held at Jacinto Tiu Sports Center in Xavier School, Manila. 

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Altamirano names members of RP Youth pool

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 01/05/2009 11:53 PM

RP Youth team coach Eric Altamirano announced the members of the 24-man national pool
Monday from which a team will be assembled for the upcoming Southeast Asian Basketball
Association (SEABA) youth tournament this year.

A report posted on SportsNews.ph said majority of the pool members are products of the
ongoing Nokia National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) D-League, the grassroots
program currently used to produce players for future national teams.

Among those who made the list are the 6’5” John Aldrin Lunas of San Beda Taytay;
5’11” Kiefer Ravena of Ateneo; 5’10” Cris Michael Tolomia of FEU;
6’4” Bobby Ray Parks Jr.(son of former PBA player Bobby Parks);
5’11” Michael Anthony Pate of International School for Better Beginners in Lucena. 

The pool will be trimmed down to a 15-man lineup in time for the SEABA Youth tourney. 

The team, which will be supported by Nokia Philippines and TAO Corporation, is eyeing
one of two seats for the FIBA-Asia 16-Under Tournament. 

Altamirano said that the players in the pool are requested to attend practice starting
January 7, Wednesday, at the PhilSports Arena.

Other members of the pool are Kristoffer de la Costa (San Beda-Taytay),
Jay Christian De La Cruz (6'0", Sacred Heart School in Cebu), Hero Tomilloso (6'0", ICCS in Iloilo),
Jasjit Dhaliwal (6'1 ½, La Salle Greenhills), Mark Anthony Dia (6'1", UST),
Jasper Diaz (6'1", La Salle Greenhills), Kevin Ferrer (6'2", UST),
Jeoffrey Javillonar (6'0", Benedictine International School), Cederick Labing-isa (5'7", UST),
Raphael Nayve (6'0", San Beda Taytay), Von Rolfe Pessumal (6'1", Ateneo),
Franz Luis Pumaren (5'9", La Salle Greenhills), Jeron Teng (5'11", Xavier),
Gabriel Reyes (6'0", Southridge), Paolo Luis Romero (6'1" ½ , Ateneo),
Brian James So (6'1", Letran), Rene Sta. Maria (6'1", La Salle Greenhills),
Thomas Torres (5'6" ½, La Salle Greenhills) and Joseph Trajano (5'8", La Salle Greenhills).

as of 01/05/2009 11:53 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/01/05/09/altamirano-names-members-rp-youth-pool