Nokia RP Youth squad to shape up in NBA training center

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By Jasmine W. Payo

NO LESS than the training ground of NBA superstars will serve as the summer camp of the Nokia Philippine Youth Team.

The under-18 squad mentored by Franz Pumaren will head for the Abunassar Impact Basketball (AIB) at Carson City, California in the United States for an intensive two-week training program starting March 15.

AIB has been the venue for off-season training sessions of NBA superstars including Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons' Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince, New Jersey Nets' Vince Carter, Utah Jazz's Andrei Kirilenko, Golden State Warriors' Baron Davis and former Miami Heat forward Antoine Walker.

Joe Abunassar, the head trainer of the camp, has also worked with the legendary, feisty college mentor Bobby Knight.

AIB features a 125-acre, state-of-the-art athletic complex that boasts of three NBA regulated hardwood courts, world-class weight and performance facilities and 18 teaching stations.

"We'll try to be a very defensive team," said Pumaren, who will be assisted by his younger brother Dindo, Sandy Arespacochaga and Jack Santiago.

"Like what I stressed to the players, I don't think we can outscore our opponents, especially in the Asian level," Pumaren added. "So we'll try to be really aggressive, press a lot and give emphasis more on defense. I think that's the only way for us to compete."

The Nokia RP Youth Team is composed of team captain Frank Golla of Ateneo, La Salle Zobel's Jed Manguera, Xavier's Gabriel Banal and Alvin Teng, University of the Philippines' Mark Lopez, Joseph Tolentino and Joseph Marata, National University's Jovet Mendoza and Joseph Terso, Far Eastern's Ryan Roose Garcia, Jose Rizal's Jerome Ramos, St. Benilde's Mark Joel de Guzman, Tarlac State's Jaypee Mendoza, Iloilo Central High School's Jhon Sumido and Jairod Flores and Sacred Heart-Cagayan de Oro's Philip Paredes.

The squad will plunge into its first international competition in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) youth tournament in Malaysia on May 1, followed by the Asian Youth Championship in Iran in September.

Source:inquirer.net

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