Paul Desiderio and Dylan Ababou have been named as coaches for the 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC Division 2 All-Star Game presented by SM on Saturday at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Desiderio, the UP cult hero who has been a part of Gilas Pilipinas’ 23-for-23 cadets pool and has since taken his act to the Blackwater Elite in the PBA, and Ababou, the UST stalwart who was a member of the original iteration of the Gilas national team and is now suiting up for the Pasig-Grindhouse Kings in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 League, were tasked to take the lead for Team Passion and Team Dedication, respectively.
Top players from Division 2 schools of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC League National Finals presented by SM were selected to partake in the showpiece event for Day Six of the national high school basketball championship sponsored by Chooks-to-Go, Darlington-Exped Socks, EPSON, Huawei, Freego, Purefoods, Gatorade, Go for Gold, SM, Molten and also presented by 5 Plus and Lighthouse Events.
Making up Desiderio’s Team Passion are Jarlo Ningasca of Holy Trinity College-General Santos, John Bravo and Ken Laquibla of First City Providential College-Bulacan, John Barba of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite, Joshua Guiab of Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.-Quezon, Paulo Casia of Narvacan NHS-Candon, Jiam Quiambao of St. Augustine Institute-Pampanga, Icy Patrocino of St. Louis Don Bosco-Dumaguete, Vance Caterbas of Southern Philippines College-Cagayan de Oro, Mark Picardal and Robert Norombaba of Dolores NHS-Eastern Samar, Ken Pondoc of Zamboanga del Sur NHS-Pagadian, Steven Tono of Sta. Clarita International School-Iloilo, Justin Ramirez of Isabela College-Cauayan, and Tyler Puletua of AusPinoy-Australia.
Meanwhile, Ababou’s Team Dedication will be made up of Lloyd Borbe and Medwin Ariate of Sto. Domingo NHS-Legazpi, John Paras and Michael Homo of Perpetual-JONELTA-Laguna, Magnus Ines of University of Baguio, Junnie Perdido of St. Mary’s College of Tagum-Davao del Norte, Ralph Bajon of Sta. Clarita International School-Iloilo, Mctroi Crisostomo of Holy Trinity College-General Santos, Drexler Villanueva of Southwestern University-PHINMA, Cholo Anonuevo and Vince Gomez of Team Italy Europe Proudly Pinoy, Jerric Palma and Kit Aviso-Mramor of Top Flight Hoops Vancouver, and Reimar Cruz and Tyler Martin of Camp David New Zealand.
The NBTC Division 2 All-Star will take place on Saturday at 12 p.m. at SM Mall of Asia Arena, with the All-Star side events at 2 p.m., and the NBTC Division 1 All-Star Game at 3 p.m.
The week-long tourney is still free of admission, with fans needing just a valid ID to enter SM Mall of Asia Arena.
