Cebuano John Galinato tapped to play for South team in 6th SM-NBTC All-Star Game

GALINATO

Another Cebuano will be flaunting his skills in the 6th SM-National Basketball Training Center High School All-Star Game as John Galinato was tapped to play for the South team in the much-anticipated match on March 16 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

League organizers released the final list of participants on Tuesday and it included Galinato, who now plays for Chiang Kai Shek in Manila after several years of suiting up for the University of San Carlos’ juniors squad here in Cebu.

Galinato, the son of former pro Abe Galinato, is joined in the South team by current Cesafi standouts Jancork Cabahug of the University of the Visayas and Andrew Velasco of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu.

The trio was selected from a pool of over 70 youngsters who participated in a rigid two-day tryout last month.

A total of 26 players were selected with an additional four slots being saved for the best players from the Fil-foreign squads from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America, who will be participating in the SM-NBTC National Championships.

Bannering the list of All-Stars is last year’s All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Evan Nelle, who returns once more due to the new K to 12 educational curriculum. Other returning All-Stars include Chiang Kai Shek College’s Jonas Tibayan, National University’s John Lloyd Clemente and Rhayyan Amsali, San Beda’s Germy Mahinay and Sam Abuhijleh, Malayan High School’s Sherwin Concepcion, University of the Philippines’ Juan Gomez De Liaño and University of the Visayas’ Jan Cork Cabahug.

National team coaches

The Division 2 All-Star Game participants will be announced at the end of the SM-NBTC Division 2 Championships featuring provincial teams on March 15.

The All-Stars who will be grouped into the North and South squads will be coached by national team coaches Jong Uichico and Josh Reyes.

It was previously announced that Aldin Ayo, head coach of UAAP champion De La Salle University, and Jamike Jarin, head coach of NCAA champions San Beda College, will handle the All-Star squads. Tournament organizers deemed it best that the two national team mentors would serve as an inspiration for the Division 2 All-Star Game participants, whose dream it is to be recruited by the top programs in Manila.

Conversely, for those playing in Division One who are shoo-ins if not prospects for the NCAA and UAAP schools, the next step is to play for the national team.