Jr. NBA 2011 in the Philippines has officially begun

Alaska Aces Point Guard Topex Robinson give some words of inspiration
to the coaches as Coach Jama Mahlalela looks on.
(Photo by Roy Afable)

The Philippines will always be basketball country an the popularity of the NBA has grown through the years. A lot of Filipino kids aspire to play pro-ball someday. With the success of Jr. NBA since it began in 2007 in the Philippines, young ballers now have the opportunity to hone their skills once again like their favorite players in the NBA. Young coaches are no exceptions, of course. Hoops mentors from different provinces trooped to the Ynares Sports Complex in Pasig City for the Manila leg of the Jr. NBA Coaches Training camp last January 19.

The coaches in attendance at the Manila leg of the Jr. NBA Coaches Clinic.
(Photo by Roy Afable)

The first day alone reached about 200 coaches that registered for the Jr. NBA Program in the Philippines. The tip-off of the Jr. NBA event was spearheaded by NBA Asia Seniro Director of Business Development Ed Winkle, NBA Director of Basketball Operations Jama Mahlalela, PBA Legend Jojo Lastimosa, Alaska President & CEO Fred Uytengsu and US-based Mentor Frank Lopez.

Coach Jama Mahlalela giving instructions to a player on how to improve his skills.
(Photo by Roy Afable)

Also spotted in the event were PBA team Alaska Aces to give some inspiration to the coaches in attendance.

Players from the Lyceum of the Philippines University dribbles around Coach Frank Lopez.
(Photo by Roy Afable)

Bacolod City was the Jr. NBA's next stop for their Clinics. The first day of was indeed a success but the second day was even better.

Via the Jr. NBA Philippines Official Webpage:

BACOLOD CITY -- Bacolod broke all Jr. NBA records in school clinic attendance as the 2011 Jr. NBA Philippines Program took off yesterday at St. John's Institute here in Bacolod City.

648 kids of all ages - some of them girls - showed up for the morning and afternoon sessions of the first day of Jr. NBA clinics, a record number for Jr. NBA clinics around the world ever, according to NBA officials. A whole team of deaf students under special education classes also joined the school clinics.

"This is the biggest Jr. NBA school clinic I have ever conducted," exclaimed Coach Frank Lopez, the popular US Jr. NBA coach who has run the program in the Philippines for the past four consecutive years. Another day of school clinics on Sunday may jack the record up even higher as more kids from this region have signified their intention to learn NBA style basketball moves and values in the NBA's international youth development program.

The kids came from various parts of Negros Province : Kabangkalan, Talisay, Binalbagan, Bago, La Carlota, Victorias and Bacolod City. Iloilo kids also arrived in teams to join the program.

Truly a slam dunk for Jr. NBA in the Philippines. Proving yet again that Filipino kids are absolutely getting into hoops and it's not only a boys' sport but girls can play hoops as well.

US-based Coach Frank Lopez in a pep talk with the players.
(Photo by Roy Afable)

The Jr. NBA Clinics presented by Alaska will be heading to Cebu next. This is just the first of the four stages in the Jr. NBA program in the Philippines. If y'all missed out on these clinics, fear not as the program will go on until April 2011.

Coach Frank Lopez (with Coach Jama Mahlalela) gives out a few instructions before running the play.
(Photo by Roy Afable)

So if you're an aspiring baller who wants to have the moves of a Rajon Rondo, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, the Jr. NBA program is your first step to learning the fundamentals of basketball -- NBA style.