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.

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).

Five picked from Davao Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA camp

The Mindanao portion of the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Selection camp concluded this past weekend at the University of the Immaculate Conception in Davao City, with five kids picked to be a part of the National Training Camp next month.

Three boys and two girls topped the field of over 250 participants, excelling in the tests, drills, and exercises in Day 1, followed by more intense drills and exercises plus a team scrimmage in Day 2. In addition to their on-court abilities, the five also were selected on how they exemplified the core STAR values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect) that is a hallmark of the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Program.

For the boys, Paolo Emanuel Antonio (Stella Maris Academy - Davao), Christopher Gonzaga (University of the Immaculate Conception - Davao), and Jeffy Malilim (Corpus Christi School - Cagayan de Oro) were picked for the Jr. NBA program, while Rozie Amatong (Modern International Learning Center - Davao) and Rhea Ville Bausin (Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School - Davao) were named for the Jr. WNBA program.

Rozie in particular, impressed the crowd with heroics, as the 11-year old nailed a buzzer-beater to win a scrimmage for her team. She says, "Basketball is a beautiful game. I especially love the challenge that comes with this sport."

An evaluation committee composed of Jr. NBA & Jr. WNBA coaches made the selections, including the likes of Rodney Santos, Eric dela Cuesta, Christian Luanzon, Ish Tiu and Melissa Jacob. Tiu revealed that while the boys showed exemplary STAR values, the girls were "a package of skill, talent, passion, and perseverance." She feels that the five picked "will compete well in Manila."

The final Regional Selection Camp heads to the PICC Forum on April 11 and 12 for the Manila leg. After this, it will be the National Training Camp on April 25-26. It is from there that the ten Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars, as well as the Coach of the Year will be named.

14 selected in Bacolod Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA camp

The Bacolod Regional Selection Camp yielded the most successful camp for the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program, with fourteen kids being called up for the National Training Camp next month.

370 kids aged 10-14 y/o from the Visayas made their way to the St. John's Institute this past weekend to undergo test, drills, and challenges posed by the different coaches who made the trip to the City of Smiles. After the first day, forty were invited to return the next day to continue with the tests and exercises, as well as scrimmages at the end of Day 2. It is from these, as well as those who best exemplify the STAR values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect) that the selection committee picked the ten boys and four girls to make the trek to Manila in April.

The four girls selected for the Jr. WNBA National Training Camp are Karla Sheen Cotejo (Bacolod City College), Dyna Sicil Nieves (University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos), Luisa Martina de la Paz (University of St. La Salle), and Rodnie Mae Hodilena (Luis Hervias National High School). All of them are Bacolodnon.

On the boys' side, four kids from host school St. John's Institute made it to the final, (Andrei Lechoncito, Daniel Coo, Nicholas Steven Pura, and Kurt Coloso) while five came from Tay Tung High School (Ralph Allen Cagalawan, K Christian Perigua, Kent Dentin Esperagazo, John Dexter Gigantana, and Andy John Villamer).

Also making the trip to Manila is Calbayog City native Kurt Jan Aparri of Christ the King College, needing two boat rides and a long road trip to be able to make it to Bacolod. He shares that he learned a lot from this camp that he can take with him anywhere he will go in his basketball career.

Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA head coach Chris Sumner led the delegation that had overseen the Regional Camp, which included NBA Asia Director for Basketball Operations Craig Brown and Alaska coaches Rodney Santos, Junjun Alas, and Eric dela Cuesta. In addition, Ish Tiu, Vangie Soriano, and Lhen Flormata from the senior women's national team also helped with the camp. Sumner was impressed with the Bacolod turnout, noting the camp's competitive nature forcing the difficult decision of picking the final selection.

Two more Regional Camps are scheduled to take place, with one in Davao at the University of Immaculate Concepcion on March 28-29 and the one in Manila at the PICC Forum on April 11 and 12. Those who are interested can check out www.jrnba.asia/philippines for more details.

Seven selected from the Baguio Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA camp

Jump ball from one of the scrimmages in the
Baguio Regional Selection camp.

The Northern Luzon portion of the Regional Selection Camp for the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA program concluded this past weekend at the St. Louis University Laboratory High School, with seven lucky youngsters getting the nod.

Four boys and three girls impressed the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA coaches (led by Rodney Santos, Junjun Alas, Christian Luanzon, Ish Tiu, Melissa Jacob, and Lhen Flormata) enough to pick them out of the almost three hundred participants and deem them "worthy of inclusion" for the National Training Camp set to take place in April at the PICC Forum. Santos though that this year's participants were in his words, "very impressive." He believes that "they will perform very well" at the NTC next month.

Jan Zyrus De Ayre (Berkley School - Baguio), Magnus Gabriel Ines (St. Louis University Laboratory High School), Christian Allen Magno (St. Albert the Great School - Dagupan), and Manuel Andrey Ober (Dagupan City National High School) represented the boys, while Christine Angela Venterez (Baguio National High School), Christine Cayabyab (Judge Jose de Venecia Sr. Memorial National High School - Dagupan), and Rose Marie de los Santos (St. Albert the Great School - Dagupan) represented the girls. Cayabyab, in fact, made it to last year's NTC, and hopes to impress again in her return.

The seven Northern Luzon kids that will participate in the National Training Camp of Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines 2015 presented by Alaska. (L-R) Magnus Gabriel Ines (Baguio), Manuel Andrey Ober (Dagupan), Christian Allen Magno (Dagupan), Jan Zyrus De Ayre (Baguio), Christine Angela Venetrez (Baguio), Kristine Cayabyab (Dagupan) and Rose Marie De Los Santos (Dagupan).

These seven kids survived the rigors of the two-day camp, with the first day devoted to skills, tests, and drills to determine the top forty players out of the 295 in the field. Those forty then were subjected to more intense drills, exercises, and scrimmages to help determine the best in their field. Of course, those picked have to exemplify the Program's core values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude, and Respect.

A couple more regional camps are slated to take place, with Bacolod's St. John Institute hosting one on March 21-22, followed by Davao's University of the Immaculate Conception on March 28-29. The PICC Forum will hold the final Regional Camp on April 11-12 before the NTC takes place.

Interested parties can check out www.jrnba.asia/philippines or www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines for more details.

Six selected in Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA camp in Iloilo

Jr. NBA hopefuls battling during the Iloilo camp.

The first Visayan Regional Training Camp for the 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program concluded this past weekend in Iloilo City, with another six kids out of the three hundred participants at the Ateneo de Iloilo picked to be in the National Training Camp next month.

The four boys selected are Vince Andrew Jayme (Huasiong College - Iloilo), Ian Dominic Espinosa (Ateneo de Iloilo), and Jann Paolo Villariza and Lucky Charm Ramos (Sun Yat Sen High School). The two girls are Jenedith Ruth Valle (Barrio Obrero National High School) and Shan Sumagaysay (Colegio Sagrado Corazon de Jesus - Iloilo).

Similar to the previous Regional Camps, Day 1 saw the almost 300 children undergo tests, drills and challenges, from which the top forty were asked to return the next day to undergo additional drills and participate in scrimmages and exercises. From these, as well as how the participants exemplified the core Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect) the coaches, led by Chris Sumner and assisted by the likes of San Sebastian legends Topex Robinson and Rodney Santos, made the decision to select these six finalists.

The finalists of the Iloilo Regional Selection Camp of Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA presented by Alaska : L-R: Shan Sumagaysay, Lucky Charm Ramos, Jann Paolo Villariza, Vince Andrew Jayme, Ian Dominic Espinosa and Jenedith Ruth Valle.

One of the coaches, women's national team stalwart Ish Tiu, said, "that the players have the skill and talent, and yet they have a yearning to learn more and to excel even further." That "spirit of competitiveness," she adds, is what will "put them on good footing" come the National Training Camp at the PICC Forum in seven weeks' time.

The program will head up north to St. Louis University in Baguio City this weekend for the next Regional Selection Camp. After that, three more camps are scheduled to take place, at St. John Institute (Bacolod) on March 14-15, University of the Immaculate Conception (Davao) on March 28-29, and the PICC Forum (Manila) on April 11-12.

Those interested to participate can check the details on www.jrnba.asia/philippines.

Six emerge from Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines 2015 Binan camp

Ball possession in the Jr. WNBA scrimmages was hotly contested.

Almost 500 kids participated in the Biñan Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Selection camp that took place this past weekend at the University of Perpetual Help System.

Out of those, four boys and two girls were selected a group led by Camp Director Chris Sumner and former PBA head coach Jeffrey Cariaso to be in the National Training Camp next month at the PICC Forum in Manila. The six are the outstanding performers during the two-day camp at the Alonte Sports Arena, with the top forty participants out of the drills and tests from the first day being asked to return the next day to do additional testing and scrimmages. Of course, both days highlight the core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude, and Respect, which is something the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA espouses.

The six finalists from Binan, with Head Coach Chris Sumner.

They are Karl Georg Clauss (De La Salle University - STC in Sta. Rosa), Joshua Yvan Garing (De La Salle - Lipa), Jalen Angelo Limon (St. Francis School - Biñan) and John Ashley Los Bañez (Canossa School - Sta. Rosa) for the boys, and Luisa San Juan (Amazing Grace School - Laguna) and Pherl Gwyneth Savendano (Christian Values School - Cavite) were selected among the girls.

Regarding the participants, Sumner says: “We found many basketball talents here with good skills, athleticism and great fundamentals. I was impressed with their desire. My advice to them is to practice, practice, practice, and to always be hungry. Not everyone has the chance to be here. They should make the most of it and live the STAR values,”

Iloilo will host the next Regional Selection Camp, set to take place on March 7-8. The other camps will be at St. Louis University (Baguio) on March 14-15, St. John Institute (Bacolod) on March 21-22, University of the Immaculate Conception (Davao) on March 28-29, and the PICC Forum (Manila) on April 11-12.

Interested participants can check www.jrnba.asia/philippines for more details.

Binan to host the second 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Camp

Kids aged 10-14 in South Luzon will have the chance to take part in the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Philippines program this weekend, with the Regional Selection camp at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The young cagers will be tasked to undergo different tests and drills, as well as learn the core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude, and Respect during the first day, with the outstanding performers asked to return the next day for more skills and exercises, as well as scrimmages. Chris Sumner runs the camp, while Jeffrey Cariaso of the Alaska Power Camp, as well as Aces assistant coach Topex Robinson assist Sumner.

From the two-day participants, up to four boys and two girls will be picked to participate in the National Training Camp slated to take place in Manila on April 24-26. It is from this camp that the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars, as well as the Coach of the Year will be plucked from and partake of the overseas NBA experience with their fellow ASEAN All-Stars..

The other upcoming Regional Camps are slated to take place in Iloilo (March 7-8), Baguio (March 14-15), Bacolod (March 21-22), Davao (March 28-29) and Metro Manila (April 11-12).

Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Training Camps kick off in Palawan

Competition was intense in the scrimmages of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Regional Selection Camp in Puerto Princesa

The 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Selection Camps (presented by Alaska) kicked off this past weekend in Puerto Princesa City, with almost 200 participants at the Seminario de San Jose.

Saturday saw the boys and girls aged 10-14 years old undergoing tests and drills to determine their vitals and basketball acumen, as well as instilling the program's core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude, and Respect (STAR). The top performers were then invited the next day for more tests and drills, as well as the chance to participate in scrimmages.

By the end of Sunday, three boys and a girl were selected to represent the province in the National Training Camp a couple of months from now. Jan Patraic Tinbancaya (Palawan State University), Jazeel Jared Trinidad and Gerald Dagot (Palawan National High School), and Mary Nicole Carlos (Palawan State University) impressed the instructors present to be the lucky ones picked.

Palawan's representatives for the National Training Camp of Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines 2015 presented by Alaska.   L-R: John Patraic Tinbancaya, Gerald Dagot, Mary Nicole Carlos and Jazeel Jared Trinidad.

According to Camp Director Chris Sumner, he expressed excitement for the four kids, recognizing the boys' versatility, athleticism and talent, while adding that Mary Nicole was "awesome" during the camp.

This is the third time in the past four years that Puerto Princesa was selected as a Regional Camp for the program, with the camp already yielding a Jr. NBA All-Star in Paul Harvey Dagunan.

The next Regional Camp will take place in Biñan, Laguna on February 28 / March 1, followed by one in Iloilo (March 7-8), Baguio (March 14-15), Bacolod (March 21-22), Davao (March 28-29) and Manila (April 11-12). The outstanding participants will then join the National Training Camp on April 24-26, from which ten Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars, as well as the Coach of the Year, will be named.

Those who are interested in this free program can check out the website (www.jrnba.asia/philippines) for more details.

Final Open Clinic for Jr. NBA & Jr. NBA set

The final Open Clinic for the 2015 season of Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA will take place on February 17, 2015 at the Casa Manila Clubhouse in Novaliches Quezon City.

Interested participants can opt to go on either the 10am to 12 nn portion or on the 2-4 portion. Either way, they would be able to partake of the program's activities aimed to get them acquainted with drills, conditioning exercises, skills stations, and most importantly, the core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude and Respect (STAR).

The next phase of the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA program will be its Regional Selection Camps, which will kick off this weekend (February 21 and 22) at the Seminario de San Jose in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The other venues for these activities will be at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna (February 28 and March 1), Ateneo de Iloilo (March 7 and 8), St. Louis University in Baguio (March 14 and 15), and St. John's Institute in Bacolod (March 21 and 22). Davao will have its Regional Selection Camp on March 28 and 29 in an unspecified venue, while the PICC Forum on April 11 and 12 will be the location for Metro Manila's camp.

The outstanding participants in these RSC will then proceed to the annual National Training Camp on April 24-26. From that NTC, ten outstanding males and five outstanding females will be named as the 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars. In addition, a coach of the year will be selected from that group.

Details on how to participate in the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program are available online (www.jrnba.asia/philippines) or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines). Important to note that the program is FREE for boys and girls in its entirety.

2014 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars to watch NBA game in China

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA All-Stars, as well as the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year winners from the ASEAN region will have the chance to watch the best players in the world in action, as they have been rewarded with a trip to China and attend the 2014 NBA Global Games in Beijing, presented by ZTE.

The latest edition of the China Games features a preseason matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Sacramento Kings, and will take place at the MasterCard Center on October 15. It serves as the final game of the NBA Global Games in the preseason.

Ten boys and five girls out of at least two thousand participants from from Manila, Dagupan, Cebu, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, and Surigao will join their counterparts from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam in watching the game. This serves as the means for the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA programs to provide its top-performing participants with an enriching NBA experience. In addition to watching the game, the All-Stars will be playing in exhibitions against local basketball teams and have the chance to visit Beijing's historical landmarks.

Alaska Milk President and CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu shared that these fifteen athletes "are the embodiment of our aspirations to keep children in their winning form." He adds that the partnership with the NBA allows them to "holistically address a child's development, nourishment through the goodness of milk, coupled with encouragement through the power of basketball, for children to lead active, healthy lifestyles."

This is the seventh season of the tie-up between the NBA and Alaska Milk for the Jr. NBA program, which also serves as part of Alaska's efforts to improve children's health in the Philippines via nutrition and an active lifestyle through its "Nutrition. Action. Champion." initiative. From just 16 schools in 2007, the program now has a reach of more than 1,000 schools, touching base with over sixty thousand children, parents, and coaches. Given the success of the program, Alaska's mother company Royal FrieslandCampina has since extended the partnership to a multi-year deal and expanded the program into a regional initiative (Drink. Move. Be Strong) that encourages parents and children to drink a glass of milk and engage in one hour of outdoor sports daily.

Fans can visit the official event website at www.jrnba.asia/philippines and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines for more information on the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program.