PHILIPPINES , May 8 , 200 7 – Jr. NBA, the leading youth basketball program in the United States that serves existing recreational youth basketball leagues through support programs for players, coaches, parents and officials, is introduced in the Philippines this summer, it was announced by the NBA today.

The inaugural Jr. NBA Philippines, with former Detroit Pistons and Filipino basketball legend Norman Black as the Program Director, will run from April 2 to June 6, 2007 with 16 private and public schools in the Greater Manila Area participating in the program. Students aged 9 to 14 can join Jr. NBA, which complements the local school’s sports and recreational program and imbues it with the prestige and unique experiences of the NBA.

The program serves as a talent search for gifted children who can excel not only on the basketball court, but also in their schools and communities as well.

“We are excited to team up with the program partners to bring Jr. NBA to the Philippines and help the development of youth basketball in the country,” said Mr. Loron Orris, Managing Director of NBA Asia Limited. “Besides emphasizing fundamental skill development, the program will also provide a fun and rewarding basketball experience where the young players can create a bond with the game while learning what it takes to be successful away from the court.”

Jr. NBA Philippines is comprised of three stages and will culminate with the Jr. NBA Training Camp scheduled for June 4 to 6. The best six campers will be named to the first-ever Jr. NBA Philippine All-Star Team and will receive a once-in-a-lifetime trip to watch an NBA game live in the 2007-08 season. The three stages of the program are:

Jr. NBA School Clinics (From April 2 to May 8): A 2-hour Jr. NBA session was conducted for 50 kids in each participating school. Each session was comprised of basketball clinics, drills, scrimmages, and talks on the S.T.A.R. values -- Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Positive Attitude and Respect.

• Jr. NBA Tournament (May 16 to 18): Each school will form a team of 12 players to participate in the Jr. NBA Tournament. Team members must have gone through the school program. Members of the championship team will automatically be invited to join the Jr. NBA Training Camp.
• Jr. NBA Training Camp (June 4 to 6) – Each participating school will nominate three students from their respective teams to participate further in the Jr. NBA Training Camp. Besides good basketball skills, the nominated students must be in good academic standing and must be active in their community. The 3-day advanced session to be hosted by a Jr. NBA coach from the United States and the best six campers will be selected as the Jr. NBA Philippine All-Star Team.

The 16 participating schools and schedule of the School Program are as follow:

Associate partners of the inaugural Jr. NBA Philippines are Microsoft, Caltex, Gatorade and Basketball TV. The Jr. NBA’s official equipment partner is Spalding, airline partner is Philippine Airlines and the official express and logistics supplier is DHL. For more information, please log onto www.NBA.com.

Entering its seventh season in the U.S., the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA is a network of recreational youth basketball leagues that provide access to a variety of membership programs and instructional materials for players, parents, coaches and officials. The instructional materials include guidelines for skill development, sportsmanship and physical fitness. By stressing fundamental skill development, teamwork, sportsmanship and positive adult participation, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA aims to develop a life-long passion for the game of basketball by providing a support structure that not only encourages participation, but also makes the game fun and rewarding for players, coaches, officials and parents. This season, the program will reach approximately 750,000 players, 1.5 million parents, 75,000 coaches, and 35,000 officials through 1,500 youth basketball leagues across the US, Canada and abroad.