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Nokia RP Under-16 Youth team coach Eric Altamirano on Monday announced the members of the 24-man national pool from which a team will be formed for the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) youth tournament set this July.
Majority of the pool members are products of the ongoing Nokia National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) D-League, which is the grassroots program aimed at producing well-rounded players for future national teams.
John Aldrin Lunas of San Beda Taytay is the tallest at 6'5" while among those who made it were Kiefer Ravena (5'11", Ateneo), Cris Michael Tolomia (5'10", FEU), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (6'4", St. George International School) and Michael Anthony Pate (5'11", International School for Better Beginners in Lucena).
Also included in the list is Cebu’s Jay Christian De La Cruz (6'0") of the Sacred Heart School-Jesuits (SHS–J).
"We thank all of those who attended the tryouts and congratulate those who made the pool. May their God-given skills approximate their willingness to play for flag and country," executive director Noli Eala said about the team under the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas headed by Manny Pangilinan that will be trimmed down up 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.
Other members of the pool are Kristoffer de la Costa (San Beda-Taytay), 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). /NBTC Media Bureau
