Toroman holds cage seminar for All-Star

MANILA, Philippines - The 30 players chosen to play in the SEA Oil National Basketball Training Center High School All-Star Game on Sunday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City will get a chance to learn from former Smart Gilas Pilipinas coach Rajko Toroman.

NBTC program director Eric Altamirano said Toroman, now consultant of all San Miguel Corp.-owned basketball teams in the PBA and ABL, has agreed to conduct a basketball seminar today at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City for the players selected to see action in the All-Star showdown.

“All of them will get a chance to learn from coach Rajko Toroman himself, that’s a treat to them for being chosen in the All-Star,” said Altamirano in yesterday’s event launch at the National Sports Grill at Greenbelt in Makati City.

Alex Compton, the NBTC’s training director, Ato Badolato, who chaired the selection committee that pruned down the players competing in the All-Star from hundreds to 30, were also present in the press launch sponsored by SEA Oil.

Badolato, considered as the winningest high school coach in the land who is now retired and serves as San Beda’s athletic director, said they’ve chosen the best of the best not just in Metro Manila but also in the provinces.

“We’ve based it on their performance and their attitude on and off the court,” said Badolato.

Compton said Brit Reroma of reigning NCAA juniors champion San Beda and Jeff Napa of defending UAAP high school titlist National U are coaching in the All-Stars and will have 15 players each from the total pool.

Energen Pilipinas team captain JJ Alejandro, Xavier star Jeron Teng, San Beda’s G-Boy Babilonia, La Salle-Greenhills’ Thomas Torres, Chiang Kai Shek’s Kevin Baytan represented the players in the press conference.

Of the 30, six will come from the provinces including Paul Jabines, from Cagayan de Oro City.

Jabines will be part of the light team that will be composed of Alejandro, Baytan, Francis Abarcar, John Boo, Kim Cinco, Daryl Nazareno, Ian Carlo Valdez, McJour Luib, Ariel Basas Jr., Brian Ilarde, Ralph Tnasingco, Tomas Ramos, Julius Cadavis and Randolph Torino while the dark squad will comprise of Teng, Torres, Babilonia, Paul Nieles, Jason Ligad, Kyle Suarez, Gabriel Reyes, Ralph Napa, Van Adam Abatayo, Antonio Bonsubre, Edric Estacio, Janmer Gabito, Paul Razel Rubin and Dave Wilson Yu.