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| Coach Ron Camara, Region 1 Coordinator-Ilocos Bong Solian, Head Coach of NCR North Jhun Estrelles, Head coach of NCR South Carlo Jason Alolino and Jun Ebdane (Image Source: Manila Bulletin/Batang Pilipino Basketball League) |
“Lahat ng player makakalaro, walang mababangko.” This tagline encapsulates what the Batang Pilipino Basketball League (BPBL) is all about – an inclusive and equal opportunity platform created for sports minded Filipino youth. The league has set out to discover, harness, and develop the potential of young athletes nationwide, especially those at the grass-roots level. The BPBL was founded in October 2020 by Coach Ron Camara and Jun Ebdane, who both believe that there is plenty of untapped talent in the field of basketball in the Philippines. Momentarily deterred but not disheartened by the pandemic, Camara and Ebdane knew that this was a goal worth pursuing, and a shot at changing the future of these youth for good.
Their efforts finally came into fruition. A total of 194 teams were gathered, composed of 2,910 male and female players in the 18 Under category from 65 municipalities and cities in 13 regions, including Regions 1, 3, 4-A, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, CAR, BARMM, and NCR. The first pre-season game was held in April of 2022 at the Palaruang Batang Lambak in Marikina City. Succeeding games went on until December 2022 in multiple regions across the country. True to its tagline, BPBL gave chances for everyone to play. Talent was indeed aplenty and with the opportunity to play came exposure for many promising athletes. Of the thousands, Coach Camara names a few who have stood out: Kent Bacani (Pampanga), Brothers Honorio and Ricky Murillo (Aklan), and Lance Graham Sabroso (Cebu) from the Boys Division; Rozie Amantong (Davao), and Aise Mae Solis (Bukidnon) from the Girls Division. “These boys and girls are the go-to guys. They are not only gifted, but they are also very hardworking, show leadership qualities, and maasahan at the critical moments,” Coach Camara says. On the ground, Coach Camara has seen how transformative the BPBL games have been for the participants. “Because of their exposure, some players have already been scouted and offered scholarships by UAAP and NCAA member universities and other local colleges. What’s more, the out-of-school youth who have been playing with us have been offered high school scholarships, as well.”
These BPBL teams have also caught the attention of their local government units (LGUs) who have since provided support by renovating basketball facilities in their localities. Better facilities mean a more inspiring training ground for their players. The progress that BPBL has made in such a short time continues to motivate its co-founder Jun Ebdane. While his original vision of training potential professional basketball players, keeping youth away from vices, and securing a college education for them is still the priority, he has also seen how the BPBL games can make an impact on the localities they visit. “For every game that we hold, business opportunities are created. From as small as food vendors at the venue, to slightly bigger ones like banner printers and sports jersey makers, BPBL games somehow contribute to their income,” Ebdane shares. And as if to give its seal of approval, LGUs have now partnered with BPBL to boost local tourism. Through social media, BPBL is able to promote spots and attractions in the participating towns and cities, in a continuing effort to encourage travelers to visit and stimulate local economy.
Last January 29, the BPBL held its first national finals at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City where Davao City and Cebu City emerged as the champions of the league's Boys and Girls Divisions, respectively. Sports and basketball fans can relive or catch up on the action of the BPBL Boys and Girls Division National Finals on the official YouTube channel of ABS-CBN Sports and the league's official Facebook page. The Batang Pilipino Basketball League Championship: "Liga ng Bayan, Liga ng Kabataan" is made possible with the support of Philippine Airlines, Gilmore Tower Suites, Wow Hotels, Gabrielle’s Organic Meat and Poultry, Casa Cochinillo, Monte Cristo Meat and Poultry, Honey, Brie & Me, Charmee, Islander, Uratex Foam, Alliance Global, Lamco Paper Products, Senco Link Technologies, and United Limsun International Trading.
