RP youth team handa sa Dubai

ISANG malaking hamon para sa RP Youth Team ang kampanya nito sa FIBA World U17 Championships na gagawin sa Dubai, United Arab Emirates, mula Agosto 8 hanggang 16.

Nasa Group A ang tropa ni coach Jamike Jarin at kasama nila sa grupo ang Estados Unidos, Greece at Angola.

Nakuha ng mga Pinoy ang karapatang sumali sa torneo pagkatapos na nakuha nila ang ikalawang puwesto sa FIBA Asia U17 championships noong isang taon.

“The only thing that we will promise is that we will be competitive,” wika ni Jarin sa lingguhang forum ng Philippine Sportswriters Association noong isang araw sa Shakey’s Malate. “We had a very good two-week training in Las Vegas and the boys are ready even though we are the smallest team in the tournament.”

Kasama sa lineup ni Jarin sina Jolo Go ng Hope Christian High School, Richard Escoto ng Far Eastern University, Paul Desiderio at Diego Dario ng University of the Philippines, Mike Nieto at Jolo Mendoza ng Ateneo, Mark Dyke ng National University, Andrei Caracut ng San Beda at Aaron Black ng Ateneo na anak ng sikat na PBA coach na si Norman Black.

Inamin ni Jarin na mas mahirap ma-scout ang Angola dahil hindi niya kilala masyado ang mga manlalaro nito at wala siyang mahanap na video.

“According to the scouting reports, Angola has a young but tall and athletic team. Pero 17 per cent shooting lang sila from three-point range,” ani Jarin. “Sa US naman, their key player Malik Neumann is good enough to play in the NBA while Greece has a seven-footer who can shoot three-pointers and who is also NBA-bound. Kaya we will try to make the game quicker against our opponents.”

Pagkatapos ng torneo sa Dubai ay lilipad kaagad ang tropa ni Jarin patungong Qatar para sa FIBA World U18 championships mula Agosto 18 hanggang 28. (James Ty III)