National head coach Jamike Jarin has named nine initial players who will comprise the Philippine team to the FIBA-Asia Under-18 championships to be held August 19-28 in Doha, Qatar.
The reigning UAAP juniors MVP Thirdy Ravena, who had played in the FIBA Under 18 3×3 championship last year, highlighted the nine players who was initially named.
Ravena, the younger brother of Ateneo ace Kiefer Ravena, will be joined by fellow high school standouts Joshua Andrei Caracut of San Beda, Dave Yu of Sacred Heart School-Cebu, Aaron Black of Ateneo, and Richard Escoto of Far Eastern University.
Yu is committed to play for National University for next season UAAP senoirs while Thirdy and Black will suit for Ateneo’s senior team after great stints in high school.
Also included were former University of the Visayas junior MVP Paul Desiderio, who is now playing for the University of the Philippines;Sacred Heart School-Cebu standout Dawn Ochea, now with Adamson; John Apacible of Hope Christian High School, who was recruited by Ateneo for next season; and Jollo Go of Hope Christian High School.
Caracut, Yu, and Black – son of multi-titled coach Norman Black – are the team captains of the Under-18 squad.
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Jarin, however, made it clear that there are still open slots to complete the roster that will compete in the Asian competition.
“There are still a lot of players vying for the slots,” said Jarin.
The Asian tournament will take place after the Fiba Under-17 World Championship to be held in nearby Dubai from August 8 to 16 where the Philippines will also be competing.
