Breakdown Basketball: Starting them young

Starting them young

by rick olivares

Youth basketball programs have been with us for quite some time. The one that I recall as the first big organized program was the Milo Best Center and that was in the 1980s if I remember it correctly.

Recently, there are two new programs – one that is into identifying talent while the other is starting out as a tournament for the young but will soon include values formation. The former is the Elite 60 Development Camp that is run by veteran head coach Eric Altamirano and the other is the Breakdown Basketball League that provides exposure for various age groups.

The EDC aims to identify players from all over the Philippines who could serve in our youth (Under 18 and Gilas Cadets) programs. For that to happen, the EDC travels to different regions where they conduct two-day regional talent identification camps. From those camps, only the 60 best players from all over the country will be invited to the National Elite 60 Development Camp that will be held for four-days in Manila. An international guest coach will facilitate the camp that will include rigorous drills, lectures, and intense competition.

Last April 22, the EDC held its regional tryouts at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in Mandaue City, Cebu. The EDC identified 10 talents from the Visayas – five for the U-18 and five for the U-16 teams.

The players selected from the Visayas U-18 include Andre Chua, Christian Manaytay, Andrew Velasco, and Joshue Fuentebella of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, and Fran z Diaz of De La Salle Iloilo.

The cagers who were invited for the U-16 bracket include Michael Jaye Jordan, Anskie Espina, Rey Tristan Fuentes, and John Edward Aguilar of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, and Christian Manulat of Rosemont Hills Montessori.

Then last April 29-30, the EDC ventured into Mindanao; Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro to be exact to get a first-hand look at the region’s top cagers.

The players selected from the Mindanao for the Under-16 team include Kent Smith Gelogo of Assumption Montessori School, Cyrian Boniao of Southern Philippine Colleges, Gabriel Nunag and Matthew Du of Xavier University High School, and Leonardo Villanueva of Southern City College.

For the Under-18 team, making the grade were BJ Sumagat of Assumption College, Milo Janao Jr. of Assumption Montessori School, Rommel Pampag of Notre Dame of Midsayap College, Concord Ramas of St. Columban College, and Duff Ross Galas of Southern Philippine Colleges.

“With the National Basketball Training Center, it is about finding out the best high school basketball team in the country,” explained Altamirano. “The EDC program is designed to give others a chance to be seen when they otherwise will not be noticed. Hopefully, this will enhance our national teams and provide opportunities and fuel dreams of kids in the provinces.”

As for Breakdown Basketball, I got to check out this exciting new league for high school hoopsters last Saturday, April 29.

The brain child of Ateneo coach (and former player) Yuri Escueta and some parents of student-athletes Jay Adevoso, Edwin Corral, and Gil Salandanan, the Breakdown Basketball League started out as a means to provide the non-UAAP Juniors teams some meaningful playing experience.

In their inaugural league in October of 2015, they featured two divisions with 16 teams spread across. Now if you think that was a great start then consider where they are no – four divisions where they have the Under 17, Under-15, Under-14, and Under-12 with a total of 54 teams!

This July, the organizers will add an Under-19 division, and around the second semester of next school year, an Under-10 division. All the matches are incidentally played at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center’s court two every day. 

“I think schools have responded well to our league because of the parity,” said Adevoso. “Our member schools are Ateneo, La Salle Greenhills, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, San Beda, Xavier, Letran, UST, Malabon High, Marist, Notre Dame, and we also have opened our league to a record five club-teams playing in several divisions.”

Jolas Terso, the former National University Bulldog who is now coaching Notre Dame of Greater Manila Fighting Irish (based in Caloocan City), told us that he liked this league as opposed to other previous leagues they joined because the divisions are structured more along age lines. “In the other league we joined, lagi kaming bugbog. Ang hirap maghanap ng sasabihin sa mga bata kapag laging tambak at mababa morale. Now, although talo kami ng mga one-point nung last few games, at least alam ng mga bata, konting pukpok at tiyaga na lang ay may kaya kami.”

Personally, their growth is impressive. And I do like the exposure given to the kids. And from what I know, values formation will become an integral part of its program. In fact, they have made it mandatory for all teams to shake hands before the match to diffuse any tensions that could arise from hotly contested matches. Values formation programs are in the works and that will help kids gain a keen understanding of sportsmanship as well as the ethics of the game.