Alpha Keepers Academy set to kick off May summer camp

Alpha Keepers Academy

Kaya FC and Philippines U-23 national team goalkeeper Nick O'Donnell has plans of sharing his passion and talent to those who aspire to be the next great netminder.

The Season 75 Most Valuable Player established the Alpha Keepers Academy, aimed to develop and hone the skills of aspiring goalkeepers.

The first AKA camp will be a summer camp from May 4-15 at the football grounds of the Ateneo de Manila University. There are two sets of programs, a Junior level (8-12 y/o) and an Elite level (13+ y/o).

Details on AKA and on the camp can be read below. Interested parties can contact this number (0917-525-7630) or email alphakeepersacademy@yahoo.com.

Jr. NBA Alumni Game to form part of the National Training Camp this weekend

One of the highlights for the upcoming Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA National Training Camp this weekend is an alumni game composed of graduates from the Jr. NBA program.

Slated to take place on April 26, the alumni game features ballers who have cut their teeth in the top-tier basketball competitions locally and even internationally.

Among those in the game include La Salle's Kib Montalbo, Ateneo's Hubert Cani, recent SLAM Rising Stars participants Enzo Navarro, Ricci Rivero, Tyler Tio and Aljun Jay Melecio, as well as current NU Bullpup and recent U-16 standout Rhayyan Amsali.

Other alums who will take part are Patrick Ramirez (San Sebastian), Ichie Altamirano (Letran), Thristan Laman (UST), Justin Serrano (Mapua), Regille Kent Ilagan (NU), Henry Asilum, Jarrell Lim and Janjan Jaboneta (UP), Miguel Competente and Mahloney Tarranza (Ateneo de Davao), as well as Carlo Escalambre (San Sebastian?).

Current high school standouts taking part in the alumni game include Vince Ferrer, Vince Dolendo and Jan Cyril Narvasa (UST), Marvin Sario (La Salle-Zobel), Luigi Velasco (La Salle-Greenhills), and Paul Manalang (NU).

Sixers rookie Nerlens Noel and WNBA legend Ruth Riley will serve as the coaches for the Jr. NBA All-Stars Alumni Game.

Slated to attend are Arielle Lanot (La Salle-Zobel), as well as Kreecie Binaohan and Roxanne Salvador (Perpetual Help - System Dalta), who are the first alumnae of the Jr. WNBA program.

The match serves as an appetizer for the announcement of the 2015 Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA All-Stars slated to take place in the afternoon. From over 80,000 students, parents, and coaches, ten boys and five girls will be named as the All-Stars for this year.

Details on the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program can be seen here, or on their Facebook page.

Filoil Flying V Premier Cup set to kick off basketball preseason

The premier preseason tournament for college basketball is set to begin this weekend, with the start of the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup.

18 schools are slated to participate, divided into two groups:

Group A: Adamson, EAC, FEU, JRU, Letran, NU, Perpetual, CSB, USJ-R
Group B: CEU, La Salle, Mapua, Lyceum, San Beda, UE, UP, UST, SWU

Both groups will have a single round-robin, with the top 4 teams advancing into the crossover quarterfinals. (in case of ties, quotient is to be used to break ties)


In the Juniors, ten schools are slated to participate:

Group A: Ateneo, La Salle-Zobel, JRU, Letran, San Beda
Group B: Adamson, FEU-FERN, La Salle-Greenhills, Malayan, NU

Much like their elder counterparts, a single round-robin will be held, but the top two teams advancing into the crossover semifinals.

Apr 25 (Saturday) - Opening Day
12nn Ateneo vs San Beda (Jrs. A)
2pm UE vs UST (Srs. B)
4pm La Salle vs San Beda (Srs. B)
6pm JRU vs FEU (Srs. A)

Apr 27 (Monday)
10am NU vs Malayan (Jrs. B)
1145am Lyceum vs CEU (Srs. B)
130pm Letran vs USJ-R (Srs. A)
315pm JRU vs CSB (Srs. A)
5pm Mapua vs UP (Srs. B)

Apr 29 (Wednesday)
1145am Letran vs JRU (Jrs. A)
130pm USJ-R vs JRU (Srs. A)
315pm Perpetual vs Letran (Srs. A)
5pm UST vs Mapua (Srs. B)

May 1 (Friday)
1145am Adamson vs NU (Jrs. B)
130pm EAC vs USJ-R (Srs. A)
315pm CEU vs UP (Srs. B)
5PM UE vs Lyceum (Srs. B)
                   
May 2 (Saturday)
1145am La Salle-Greenhills vs NU (Jrs. B)
130pm USJ-R vs Perpetual (Srs. A)
315pm CSB vs EAC (Srs. A)
5pm San Beda vs UST (Srs. B)
                   
May 6 (Wednesday)
10am FEU-FERN vs La Salle-Greenhills (Jrs. B)
1145am CSB vs USJ-R (Srs. A)
130pm UE vs Mapua (Srs. B)
315pm Letran vs FEU    Srs. A
5pm Lyceum vs La Salle (Srs. B)
                   
May 8 (Friday)
1145am FEU-FERN vs Adamson (Jrs. B)
130pm Perpetual vs EAC (Srs. A)
315pm USJ-R vs NU (Srs. A)
5pm CEU vs Mapua (Srs.B)

May 9 (Saturday)
1145am La Salle-Zobel vs Letran (Jrs. A)
130pm FEU vs USJ-R (Srs. A)
315pm Lyceum vs San Beda (Srs. B)
5pm UP vs La Salle (Srs. B)

May 13 (Wednesday)
10am Adamson vs Malayan (Jrs. B)
1145am USJ-R vs Adamson (Srs. A)
130pm EAC vs Letran (Srs. A)
315pm UE vs CEU (Srs. B)
5pm CSB vs NU (Srs. A)

May 15 (Friday)
10am JRU vs Ateneo (Jrs. A)
1145am Lyceum vs UP (Srs. B)
130pm EAC vs NU (Srs. A)
315pm JRU vs Letran (Srs. A)
5pm CEU vs San Beda (Srs. B)

May 16 (Saturday)
1145am San Beda vs La Salle-Zobel (Jrs. A)
130pm Adamson vs Perpetual (Srs. A)
315pm NU vs FEU (Srs. A)
5pm La Salle vs UE (Srs. B)

May 20 (Wednesday)
10am NU vs FEU-FERN (Jrs. B)
1145am CSB vs FEU (Srs. A)
130pm Adamson vs Letran (Srs. A)
315pm UP vs UST (Srs. B)
5pm NU vs JRU (Srs. A)
                   
May 22 (Friday)
10am La Salle-Zobel vs JRU (Jrs. A)
1145am EAC vs JRU (Srs. A)
130pm Mapua vs SWU (Srs. B)
315pm San Beda vs UP (Srs. B)
5pm NU vs Adamson (Srs. A)

May 23 (Saturday)
1145am Letran vs San Beda (Jrs. A)
130pm Perpetual vs FEU (Srs. A)
315pm UST vs CEU (Srs. B)
5pm SWU vs La Salle (Srs. B)

May 27 (Wednesday)
10am La Salle-Greenhills vs Adamson (Jrs. B)
1145am Lyceum vs UST (Srs. B)
130pm UP vs SWU (Srs. B)
315pm CSB vs Adamson (Srs. A)
5pm Mapua vs La Salle (Srs. B)

May 29 (Friday)
10am FEU-FERN vs Malayan (Jrs. B)
1145am Adamson vs EAC (Srs. A)
130pm Mapua vs Lyceum (Srs. B)
315pm Letran vs CSB (Srs. A)
5pm SWU vs UE (Srs. B)

May 30 (Saturday)
10am Ateneo vs Letran (Jrs. A)
1145am Perpetual vs JRU (Srs. A)
130pm FEU vs Adamson (Srs. A)
315pm San Beda vs SWU (Srs. B)
5pm CEU vs La Salle (Srs. B)

Jun 03 (Wednesday)
10am CSB vs Perpetual (Srs. A)
1145am UE vs UP (Srs. A)
130pm SWU vs UST (Srs. B)
315pm NU vs Letran (Srs. A)
5pm Mapua vs San Beda (Srs. B)

Jun 05 (Friday)
10am San Beda vs JRU (Jrs. A)
1145am Lyceum vs SWU (Srs. B)
130pm EAC vs FEU (Srs. A)
315pm JRU vs Adamson (Srs. B)
5pm Malayan vs La Salle-Greenhills (Jrs. B)

Jun 06 (Saturday)
10am La Salle-Zobel vs Ateneo (Jrs. A)
1145am Perpetual vs NU (Srs. A)
130pm SWU vs CEU (Srs. B)
315pm UE vs San Beda (Srs. B)
5pm UST vs La Salle (Srs. B)

June 10 (Wednesday)
10am A1 vs B4 (Srs QF1)
12nn A2 vs B3 (Srs QF2)
2pm A3 vs B2 (Srs QF3)
4pm A4 vs B1 (Srs QF4)

June 12 (Friday)
10am A1 vs B2 (Jrs SF1)
12nn B1 vs A2 (Jrs SF2)
2pm Winner QF1 vs Winner QF3 (Srs SF1)
4pm Winner QF2 vs Winner QF4 (Srs SF2)

June 14 (Sunday)
10am Battle for 3rd Juniors Division
12nn Juniors Division Finals           
2pm Seniors Battle for 3rd           
4pm Seniors Division Finals

Latest on the Ambassadors' Cup

Preparations for the 2nd edition of the Ambassadors' Cup are already up and running.

The one-day futsal competition will take place on May 16 at the UA&P grounds, with 11 teams representing a different embassy (after all, the name of the tournament is linked with an Ambassador).

Part of the preparations include educating the coaches of the underprivileged communities that the embassies are associating themselves with. That is why last Saturday, April 11, UFL Div I side Team Socceroo helped teach the nuances of the sport to these coaches, as seen in this photo below.

 (L-R) Team Soccerroo Football Club’s (TSFC) Michael Reyes, Paulus Reyes, Coach Franklin Cacacho, Coach Edmond Mercado, and Nicholas Reyes together with University of Asia and the Pacific’s (UA&P) Rene Ledesma

Nerlens Noel and Ruth Riley in Manila for Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA National Training Camp

The Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA National Training Camp is set to take place next week, and to help commemorate the event, the NBA will have a couple of big men coming in.

Sixers center Nerlens Noel and the recently-retired WNBA legend Ruth Riley will be visiting the Philippines to help coach the top 50 boys and top 24 girls in the National Training Camp, the best players from all the different regional camps held all over the country in the past couple of months.

Noel is fresh from finishing his rookie season with the Sixers, averaging 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.9 blocks. The Kentucky alum is excited to have his first NBA overseas trip be the Philippines, acknowledging the country's passion for the sport. He hopes that his presence would be an added motivation for the camp participants.
 Riley was the 5th overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft, playing 13 seasons before retiring last year. She had career averages of 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 blocks, winning two titles with the Detroit Shock in 2003 and 2006.

She says, "It’s great to know how much enthusiasm there is for basketball among girls in the Philippines. I look forward to the experience and to inspiring even more young girls to pick up the game I love so much.”

Noel and Riley join the likes of BJ Armstrong, A.C. Green, Luc Longley, Muggsy Bogues, Gordon Hayward, and Tina Thompson as recent Manila visitors for the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program. They will be tasked to help Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA head coach Chris Sumner in coaching the participants. In addition, they will serve as head coaches for the annual Jr. NBA alumni game, as well as conduct a basketball clinic in conjunction with NBA Cares and World Vision.

The camp serves as the culminating activity for the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program this year in the Philippines. The program is the league's foray towards grassroots development in basketball and in promoting an active lifestyle for children, specifically those between 10-14 years old. Not only are they trained to learn the sport's fundamentals, but also to appreciate the core STAR values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect).

The NTC will take place at the PICC Forum on April 24 and 25, and then move to the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on April 26. It is from here that fifteen outstanding kids (ten boys and five girls) will be named as Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars. These All-Stars will join their ASEAN counterparts in having an overseas NBA experience they will surely remember.

They are also going to name the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year by the end of the camp, who will join the All-Stars on that overseas experience.

The Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Program is presented by Alaska. Official Partners are Gatorade, Globe Telecom, and Phoenix Petroleum, with KFC and Spalding as Supporting Partners. Serving as the official broadcasters are Basketball TV, NBA Premium TV, and ABS-CBN Sports+Action. It also has the support of the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP).

For more details on the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Program, just check out this link, or head to their Facebook page.

THE G.O.A.T. set to launch today on FOX Sports

The GOAT and its hosts: KC, Nikko, Suzy, KC

FOX Sports Philippines will be unveiling a new local magazine show tonight to celebrate the Pinoy's devotion to basketball, called The G.O.A.T.

Armed with the desire to be the "most engaging local sports program on cable," The G.O.A.T will feature opinionated discussions on the relevant sports topics out there (of course, high emphasis on basketball-related ones), while at the same time, delivering them in an irreverent and entertaining way that caters to both casual and hardcore fans. With Filipinos among the most active people in social media, fans and viewers can join in on the discussion (#TheGOATonFS), when the show airs on Thursdays, 9pm on FOX Sports.

To facilitate the discussion, FOX Sports has tapped four of the most loquacious media personalities: Nikko Ramos, Tin Gamboa (better known to many as Suzy), Mo Twister, and KC Montero.

There will be taped segments, interviews with local and international personalities, animated discussions on your favorite sporting event/s, and even a "Goatie of the Week."

With the combination of its engaging hosts and interesting topics, The G.O.A.T seeks to be the newest part of the sporting viewing habit.

Amihan Pilipinas set to go on a nationwide tour with PLDT Home Ultera

The Amihan Pilipinas volleyball superstars (L-R): Lizlee Ann Pantone, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Nerissa Bautista, Honey Rose Tubino, Christina Salak, Dindin Santiago, Rachel Anne Daquis, Jaja Santiago, Mary Jean Balse, Mika Reyes, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Kim Fajardo and Jen Reyes. Not in photo: Ara Galang, Rhea Dimaculangan and Maika Ortiz.

The all-star Amihan Pilipinas women's volleyball team will be touring around the country this summer season to help promote the sport in the grassroots level.

In coordination with PLDT Home Ultera, the Philippine Volleyball Federation, and the different local government units, Amihan is set to visit ten cities to assist in unearthing volleyball talents via clinics and exhibition matches, while helping the PLDT Home Ultera Install Patrol bring LTE broadband accessibility to each location.

PLDT Home's marketing head Gary Dujali believes that having this Install Patrol tour with the Amihan squad will help "bring the sport to a whole new level." He adds that "fans get to be mentored by the country's top volleyball coaches and play against their favorite Amihan Pilipinas superstars."

Amihan is composed of "the cream of the crop in women's volleyball" in Mika Reyes, Rachel Anne Daquis, Jovelyn Gonzaga, the Santiago sisters (Dindin and Jaja), Ara Galang, Nerissa Bautista, Mary Jean Balse, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Jen Reyes, Tina Salak, Honey Royse Tubino, Rhea Dimaculangan, Maika Ortiz, and Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone. Joining these players are the following coaches: Ramil de Jesus, Ariel dela Cruz, and Rico de Guzman.

Amihan already made their way to General Trias and Dasmarinas in Cavite, as well as Iloilo, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, and Lipa, Batangas, while they are to come to Puerto Princesa, Palawan and Pampanga this month.

Details on the PLDT Home Ultera-Amihan tour can be seen on www.pldthome.com.

Seventeen chosen from Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Manila Regional Selection Camp

Manila Regional Selection camp scrimmage action

The final Regional Selection Camp for both the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA program concluded this past weekend, with seventeen kids picked out to participate in the upcoming National Training Camp next weekend.

Eleven boys and six girls were luckily chosen out of the 519 participants, with the selections being conducted by the evaluation committee, led Chris Sumner and assisted by the likes of Rodney Santos, Eric dela Cuesta, and Christian Luanzon, as well as Melissa Jacob and Ish Tiu.

Santos says that the committee was impressed by this group, particularly with their confidence in spite of their young age. He believes that they will compete well in the National Training Camp.

The kids underwent testing, drills, and exercises in Day 1, with the top forty performers returning in Day 2 to undergo more intense tests and drills, followed by scrimmages. It is from these, plus how they reflected the program's STAR core values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect) from which the seventeen were named.

The eleven boys are Stacey Tibayan (Letran), Ruzzelle Andrew Dominguez and Brevin Lyle Competente (National University), Edrian Custodio, Jac Macasaet, and Gab Reyes (La Salle-Zobel), Kai Sotto and Christian Allen Vergara (St. Francis of Assisi College), Vehnjo Maximo (La Salle Greenhills), Jessie Adrian Ortega (Escuela de Sophia), and Ernest John Felicida (Corpus Christi College - Cagayan de Oro).

The six girls are Stephanie Villapando (Trace College), Akemi Manteja and Christine Jazz Ungui (La Salle-Zobel), Nelia Jean David and Micaela Denise Pentecostes (Diliman Preparatory School) and Kyla Flores (Parañaque Science High School)

Felicida was just in Manila for vacation when he tried out and then made it to the selection. Vergara is the first 10-year old to make it to the NTC, and in preparing for the camp, he says, “I will just practice more, drink lots of water and sleep early.”

The National Training Camp finalists of the Manila Regional Selection Camp. (L-R, FRONT): Nelia Jean David, Mikaela Denise Pentecostes, Kyla Flores, Stephanie Villapando, Akemi Marteja, Christine Jazz Unqui; (BACK) Stacey Tibayan, Ernest John Felicida, Ruzzelle Andrew Dominguez, Jac Macasaet, Kai Sotto, Jesse Adrian Ortega, Edrian Custodio, Brevin Lyle Competente, Gab Reyes, Vehnjo Maximo, Christian Allen Vergara and Coach Chris Sumner

Only the selection from the Alaska Power Camp is left, as they complete the NTC participants for the April 24-26 camp at the PICC Forum and the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. It is from this camp where the ten outstanding boys and five outstanding girls will be named as the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars. The All-Stars will then join their fellow ASEAN counterparts, as they partake of an overseas NBA experience. It is also from the NTC that a Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year will be named.

Final Regional Camp for 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Program set

The final Regional Selection Camp is slated to take place this weekend at the PICC Forum, with the chance to be in the National Training Camp at stake.

On April 11, participants will undergo vitals tests, basketball drills, and skills challenges. Those who excel in those three will proceed to Day 2 of the camp on April 12, where they will have to go through some more focused drills emphasizing their basketball skills, aptitude, and endurance, as well as some scrimmages. They also have to embody the core Jr. NBA values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect).

The Regional Camp will be overseen by Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA coach Chris Sumner, with the likes of Jeffrey Cariaso, Topex Robinson and Rodney Santos, as well as Ish Tiu, Melissa Jacob, and Lhen Flormata assisting. It is they who will make the decision of who will make the National Training Camp, which is slated to take place on April 24-26. Fifty boys and twenty-four girls will comprise the NTC, which will come from the Regional Camps and from the Alaska Power Camp.

By the end of the NTC, ten outstanding Jr. NBA and five outstanding Jr. WNBA participants will be named as All-Stars, and will be embarking on a unique overseas NBA experience alongside their ASEAN counterparts. The list of All-Star alums include Aljon Mariano (UST), Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Hubert Cani (Ateneo), Kib Montalbo, Lorenzo Navarro (La Salle), Henry Asilum, Jarrell Lim, Janjan Jaboneta (UP), Dawn Ochea (Adamson), Rendell Senining (NU), and Arnie Padilla (FEU).