The Provincial Sports Office, through the Abanse Negrense Sports Programs of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, has recently teamed up with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Inc. (SBP) to conduct a free basketball elite camp for young Negrense athletes.
Due to the limited number of campers, however, a 2-day tryout is set on May 27-28, at Montalbo Covered Courts located at Jose G. Montalbo’s residence in Bacolod City. The tryouts aim to shortlist the top 30 U-16 boys and girls basketball players (born 2008 and below) in the province.
During the tryouts, participants will be assessed through a Draft Combine Stats Evaluation, including height and weight measurements, wingspan, standing reach test, strength and agility assessment (e.g. lane agility test), standing vertical leap, 2-step jump test, 20-m sprint, and field goals percentage (including 2-point and 3-point shooting percentages).
The shortlisted young athletes will have the opportunity to participate in the Basketball Elite Camp on June 5-7 at the same venue. The training camp will be spearheaded by SBP’s Grassroots and Talent Identification Program Head and PBA Coach Norman Black, along with Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team Coach Bacon Austria. Black is also a consultant of the San Beda University Red Lions Basketball Team.
The Abanse Negrense Basketball Elite Camp comes after the scheduled Iloilo leg of the program on May 29-30. Through this initiative, SBP aims to promote the framework for an extensive nationwide training system that would be geared at developing players not only for local competitions but also for international stages.
It also intends to introduce a philosophy that would cut back on the traditional over-reliance on the zone defense. Provincial Sports Coordinator and Provincial SBP Director Anthony Carlo Agustin says this training initiative is intended for young Negrense athletes (boys and girls) under 16 and 12 years old, as well as basketball coaches who are passionate about basketball.
This grassroots basketball program is divided into four categories, including a combined training for the shortlisted 30 U-16 boys and girls athletes, a kids’ clinic for the 60 U-12 participants (boys and girls), scrimmages, and the coaches’ clinic that will be based on the participants’ chosen topics (e.g. basketball concept, structure, and play). The U-16 participants, on the other hand, will be subjected to agility and speed tests, documented shooting, ball handling and passing drills, and scrimmages.
The Basketball Elite Camp is one of the programs of the provincial government under the Abanse Negrense Sports initiative led by Gov. Bong Lacson to continuously promote grassroots sports development among the Negrense youth. This initiative also echoes SBP’s intention of making grassroots development a priority in the country.
SBP is the only legitimate national sport association in the Philippines that is duly-recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).*
