Olongapo Basketball Team at National League

Ask Coach E: The NBTC D-League
PEOPLE asked me how different the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) D-League is from all other leagues that are to be unveiled in the coming months.

Of course, I thank them for their interest, for it only means that they are eager to know how the NBTC D–League is seen to change the face of Philippine basketball in the days, months and years to come.

Of course, this program is not for the impatient and for those looking for a quick fix.

To reiterate, here are things that make the NBTC D-League different, namely:

The NBTC D-League is not school-based. The NBTC D-League is not a school league and its lineups are based on the cities, towns and other areas which joined the ranks of the D-League as its pioneering teams.

The players are thoroughly chosen. The NBTC D-League has conducted talent-identification camps in the several areas where the organizers chose the potential players to form the team. This process made the formation of these teams objective and, thus, true to the ideals of the NBTC D-League.

The coaches are thoroughly chosen, too. It does not only mean that if one knows how to coach, then he can coach. The NBTC D-League chooses only coaches with good moral conduct in the community. Of course, basketball knowledge is a must.

A wholistic practice and training plan. It means that all the teams, through the coaches, should adhere to the practice and training plan. This is not to curtain the individual and uniqueness of each team. The singular approach is seen as a way to harness the skills of the players and make sure that the players learn the correct way to play basketball in a competitive environment.

It is designed to be a feeder program for collegiate, amateur and professional leagues. This may be taking things a bit too far, but that it how the NBTC D- League envisions itself to be.

Winning is only secondary. If it solely focused on winning alone, the NBTC D-League’s purpose to develop players is defeated from the very start. What’s more important is imparting the right basketball skills through adequate training in a competitive environment.

It’s for free. There are no fees to be collected from the players in joining the NBTC D-League. Event sponsor Nokia has graciously shouldered the event expenses while each team has a generous sponsor to back it up, win or lose. The local government units have done their fair share by allowing these teams to practice and train in their gyms, free of charge.

For a quick rundown, the teams are Antipolo, B-MEG Premium (Batangas), Dasmariñas (Cavite), Health Solutions (Laguna), Manila, Team Nueva Ecija Foundation (Nueva Ecija), Olongapo Volunteers (Olongapo City), Lubao Bulls (Pampanga), Quezon City, Pasig (B-MEG Dynamix Calata), Lucena, Sugod Bulacan (Bulacan) and Tarlac for Luzon.

For Mindanao it is Oro Grande-CDO (Cagayan de Oro), Team Misor (Misamis Oriental), Iligan Fireflies (Iligan City), Iligan Black Viper (Iligan City), Saints (General Santos), Energen (Davao), Megavia Southmin (Davao) and Montana Pawnshop (Davao).

For Visayas the teams are Santos Petroleum Corp. (Iloilo), Dumaguete Suy (Bacolod), IEC Computers (Bacolod), 888 Chinatown (Bacolod), Daisy Condensada (Cebu), M. Lhuiller Kwarta Padala-South, M. Lhuiller Kwarta Padala-North and Penshoppe (Cebu).

So I invite basketball aficionados to watch the launching of the NBTC D-League on October 25, 9 a.m. at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. Business Mirror Sports Written by Eric Altamirano, altamiranohoops@yahoo.com