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After a successful stint in Cebu and Davao following the Sinulog weekend – where a record-breaking 250 coaches showed up for the Jr. NBA coaches clinic in Davao on January 21 -- the Jr. NBA Philippines Program presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins swings its action back to the NCR with school clinics in late January and early February.

Jr. NBA appointed coaches Ryan Gregorio and Ronnie Magsanoc, also the one-two coaching punch of the Purefoods TJ Giants, take over the teaching chores from US Jr. NBA Coach Frank Lopez, who will return in Manila in time for the National Training Camp in April.

The School Clinics are part of the Jr. NBA program now on its third consecutive season, which has expanded to Davao and will benefit over 30,000 kids, parents and coaches and 300 schools  nationwide.

Scheduled to benefit from Jr. NBA clinics are the British International School in Taguig on January 28, the Our Lady of Perpetual Succor (OLOPS) in Marikina on January 29, the Marikina Elementary School and Concepcion Elementary School at the Marikina Heights Gym on January 30, the Ateneo de Manila Grade School in Quezon City and San Sebastian College on February 5. The Jr. NBA clinics are exclusive to the students of said schools on the abovementioned dates.

The general public, however, gets the chance to experience the Jr. NBA when the Open Clinics open on all weekends of February except February 13 and 14. Open Clinics are scheduled on February 6 at SM North EDSA, Annex 4F; February 21 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall and February 27 and 28 at SM Fairview. At the Open Clinics, kids and adults, male and female will have the opportunity to test their skills in the various Jr. NBA skills stations. Twelve to fourteen year olds, who are the real targets of the Jr. NBA basketball development program, may participate in the Open Clinic activities and get a feel of the challenges that they will encounter during the Regional Selection Camp in March.

Besides fun games and activities, the Open Clinics will be highlighted by five Jr. NBA Skills Stations that pose different basketball challenges to participants. At the Hi-Smart Lay Up Station one should make as many lay-ups as possible within 45 seconds. At the Gatorade Shooting Station the objective is to make as many of the total 10 baskets within 1 minute. At the Basketball TV Passing Station one should make as many as 25 accurate passes, including bonus passes, with a 10 second limit per set of passes. At the Hi-Smart Dribbling Station one must complete the course as quickly as possible while maintaining control of the ball. And at the Mitsubishi Footwork Station players make defensive slides around a designated area and show their speed and savvy with their feet.

The Jr. NBA Philippines effort is completely free in all its stages for all participants and is presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins with the support of Official Sports Drink Gatorade, Official Broadcast Partner Basketball TV, Official Automobile Partner Mitsubishi Motors, Official Mall Partner SM Supermalls, Official Supplier Spalding, and the Department of Education.

Local school coaches and Filipino boys ages 12 to 14 can register for the program for free through the Jr. NBA event website www.nba.com/jrnba/philippines. For inquiries, please call 474-6506, (0917) 5261369 (Tessa), (0922) 5364335 (Kalvin) or (0908) 8839760 (Owen).

About Hi-Smart Multivitamins and New Marketlink

Hi-Smart Multivitami\ns is marketed by New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corporation, one of the leading national pharmaceutical companies in the Philippines.  New Marketlink seeks to become the preferred marketing partner of a variety of international healthcare companies in providing Filipinos with specialized, high quality and value-for-money medicines and health products.

New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corporation, fueled and propelled by the holding company, TAO Corporation, is poised to undertake bold moves to further establish the new company as a respected leader in the pharmaceutical industry and become a valuable component of TAO Corporation’s mission of building communities and people.

New Marketlink supports the Jr. NBA program by providing Hi-Smart Multivitamins products which assist in the physical and mental development of kids and teenagers who want to achieve their basketball dreams and to help them become a Jr. NBA S.T.A.R. on and off the court.


About the NBA

The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada.  During the 2009-10 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages.  The league’s worldwide reach is also displayed in the 83 international players from 36 countries and territories on NBA rosters.  NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America.  Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.