2 Cebuanos To Fight For Slot In Batang Gilas U18

Two Cebuanos are left to battle for a slot as the selection of the Batang Gilas U18 final lineup drew to its conclusion.

The two are John Brylle Bahio, who is now playing for San Beda College after a stint with University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) in Cebu City, and Joshua Theo Flores, who plays for National University.

“We have two Cebuanos contending for the slot to our Batang Gilas program, Bahio and Flores. They are in the 15-player pool now,” Batang Gilas team manager Andrew Teh said.

Those cut were former Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles Joshua Sinclair and University of the Visayas’ (UV) Raul Jancork Cabahug.

“Unfortunately, Cabahug is too small for his natural position. The Batang Gilas program is only a one-month program and we want the players in there to be playing in their natural positions. We don’t have the luxury of training potentials like Cabahug to play as a guard. Remember, in international competitions our opponents are very tall. Sometimes they have 7-footers. Yes, Cabahug has the potential but we are sorry to cut him off,” Teh said.

The move however is very welcome to UV and Department of Education (DepEd) 7 officials.

Cabahug is the pillar of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) basketball team that will be vying for its second basketball gold medal in the Palarong Pambansa.

Cabahug’s grandfather Raul “Pokang” Cabahug said UV and DepEd 7 officials are happy because Jancork would have to skip the Palaro if he was able to join the Batang Gilas.

Batang Gilas will play in the Southeast Asian BasketballAssociation (Seaba) U18 tournament in Medan, Indonesia in April, which will coincide with the Palarong Pambansa. (PNA) LAP/EB/MP/EDS