Basketball Without Borders 2018 Day 2 Recap

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Day 2 of the 10th edition of Basketball without Borders Asia Camp organised by the NBA and FIBA started with life skill sessions for the campers here at the at The NBA Academy India, Delhi NCR. Ryan Saunders, Assistant Coach Minnesota Timberwolves, Darvin Ham, Assistant Coach Atlanta Hawks, Ruth Riley, two-time WNBA Champion and NBA Academies Women’s Program Global Technical Director spoke to the campers on the importance of teamwork and communication.

After the life skills sessions, the campers assembled into their respective teams for practice drills. The boys were drafted into four teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves; while the girls were split into Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.

Following the drills, the teams scrimmaged in a series of competitive five-on-five games in front of league and team personnel. The day concluded with the NBA players leading a basketball clinic for 64 youth from the NBA Basketball Schools as part of the NBA’s community outreach efforts. The NBA Basketball Schools are based on “the NBA-Way” of developing basketball talent along with the promotion of positive NBA values of integrity, teamwork, respect, and innovation.

Coach and camper quotes:

Bret Breilmaier, Brooklyn Nets Assistant Coach

“The talent level, the kids, how hard they play and the way they play together is impressive. The talent of kids from all the countries is very good. We are lucky to work with these kids and trying help them to improve their skills so hopefully they can take that back to their teams.”

Princepal Singh, The NBA Academy India, India

“It’s a great feeling to have the camp here in India. At home, there is always an extra motivation to do your best. But having said that, this camp also is a great opportunity for Indian campers to learn from the best and see where they stand.”

Amaan Sandhu, The NBA Academy India, India

“You don’t get to play alongside the best in Asia everyday, and also train under the best in the world. Basketball Without Borders is a great platform for all campers to showcase their talent and take in as much as possible from the best in the business.”

Basketball Without Borders 2018 Day 1 Recap

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The NBA and FIBA tipped-off the 10th edition of Basketball without Borders Asia Camp this morning at the at The NBA Academy India, Delhi NCR. Sixty-six top high-school age boys and girls from 16 countries and territories across Asia took the court and had the opportunity to learn from Corey Brewer (Oklahoma City Thunder; U.S.), Caris LeVert (Brooklyn Nets; U.S.), Kelly Olynyk (Miami Heat; Canada; BWB Americas 2009), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks; Canada), two-time WNBA Champion Ruth Riley, and former WNBA player Ebony Hoffman. Indian players Satnam Singh and Oklahoma City Blue and Indian player Amjyot Singh were also on hand to coach the top high school age campers from throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Current NBA assistant coaches Bret Brielmaier (Nets), Darvin Ham (Atlanta Hawks), Ryan Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Mike Wells (Utah Jazz) are serving as BWB Asia 2018 coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) is the camp director. Casey Smith (Mavericks) is the camp’s athletic trainer.

The players and coaches led the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games. In the afternoon, as part of the NBA’s community outreach efforts, a basketball clinic was conducted for more than 85 youth from the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program to promote cultural understanding while teaching the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle and the values of the game, including teamwork, respect, determination and community.

Player Quotes:

Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets

“It was a great first day at the camp. The kids are very receptive here and are eager to learn.  I am looking forward to having a great time with them here.”

Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks

“It’s amazing to see the talent here. From what I saw in the last few hours here, these guys have much more to not only be the best of youth talent in Asia but be among the best in the world. I am glad to be here and help them in whatever way possible.”

Kelly Olynyk, Miami Heat

“Back in 2009, BWB was an unbelievable experience. The learning at such camps helps you develop and elevate your game. You have these fantastic coaches and current players, you only get  better from here. It’s a great opportunity. The level of knowledge or competition too for the campers here is awesome. It’s always great to play against the best.”

Satnam Singh, Indian Basketball Player

“This BWB Camp is an opportunity of a lifetime. Life if all about making the most of the opportunities one gets. Like I got an opportunity to be in NBA and made whatever best I could out of it, this camp should serve as a great platform for campers to move up in their basketball careers.”

Amjyot Singh, Oklahoma City Blue & Indian Basketball Player

“This is a great setup for all the campers here. I’m glad that I could come here and share things that I have learnt so far. The level of coaches and players here is very good and the campers should go back as better players and human beings too.”

Iloilo City to Host the East Asian Seas Congress this November

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Iloilo City has been chosen as the venue of the upcoming 2018 East Asian Seas Congress to be held on November 27 to 30 at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC). Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said that it is a great privilege to be the host city for the upcoming Congress as the ICC’s state of the art facilities has been “home to congregations that encourage dialogues towards sustainable development and bridging potential collaborations towards the future of the East Asian Seas region.”

“With a coastline of approximately 72 kilometers, Iloilo City is a coastal metropolitan area with a population of around 950,000 Ilonggos,” said Governor Defensor. “We extend our warm invitation to the delegates to explore the historic and scenic side of the city and the rest of the province.”

Similarly, Iloilo Mayor Jose Espinosa III expressed that they are “deeply honored that our beloved city has been chosen as the venue for this momentous event.” He added that the City Government of Iloilo supports the efforts of the Congress in “bringing together various stakeholders and working towards aligning local, national and regional actions and goals with that of the global ocean agenda.”

Mayor Espinosa added that “Iloilo is actively pursuing good and responsible governance that promotes social, economic and environmental development. Aside from the different Congress events, get ready to be welcomed with warm Ilonggo hospitality, to indulge in our delicious cuisine, and to immerse in our rich culture.”

Known as the “Heart of the Philippines,” Iloilo City has successfully hosted international assemblies such as the 2015 APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and the Blue Economy and ASEAN in the past.

Initial preparations for the Congress have already commenced, as representatives from the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) convened for a preparatory meeting with the local organizing committee (LOC) members from DENR Region 6 and the Provincial and City Governments of Iloilo and Guimaras during a four-day visit last April 17 to 20.

This year’s EAS Congress will feature an International Conference and Environmental Exhibition alongside other events including the Fifth EAS Youth Forum and PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Forum which will culminate with the Sixth Ministerial Forum. A special field visit to a PEMSEA integrated coastal management (ICM) site in the Island of Guimaras will also happen.

Registration for the EAS Congress 2018 is ongoing! For more information and updates about the Congress, visit http://eascongress2018.pemsea.org/. For questions and inquiries, contact the EAS Congress 2018 Secretariat at eascongress2018@pemsea.org. #SeasAsOne