By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
It’s bigger than basketball.
After thorough planning and coordination, commissioner and founder Jayphet Balbacal of the JB Amateur Basketball League (JB ABL) confirmed that he will be organizing the JB ABL Academy.
According to Balbacal, the JB ABL Academy is a typical ball-club format organization but has two main platforms: First, to help aspiring Ilonggo basketball players elevate their game and second, to help maintain a sound basketball environment especially after months of inactivity in the City of Love.
Through the JB ABL Academy, Ilonggos who strive to be the best basketball player they can be will receive clinics spearheaded by JB ABL.
Several barangays around the city will also be picked by the JB ABL committee and will be treated with a series of basketball talks and clinics.
Aside from the basketball clinics, Balbacal also added that they are working on the possibility of other partnerships with private companies through their members.
“Sa kadamo sang professionals naton sa JB ABL core group kag participating teams. Basi possible man nga ang mga basketball scholars naton sa Academy ma ga-an mga checkup, dental treatment, or ano man da nga pwede,” Balbacal said during an exclusive interview with the Daily Guardian.
As of now, the Academy is still not open for everyone and only a select number of pioneer members will be named to the group.
Balbacal also shared that at the end of every season of the Academy there will be a culminating basketball tournament where the members will participate in a drafting process to get their desired players to form a team.
“Goal man naton nga indi lang kita puro basketball. We are planning to have a stronger bond sa players and sa Ilonggo hoop community and to achieve that, I think we have to go beyond basketball,” Balbacal emphasized.
