NBTC D-League gets rave reviews in first season

MANILA, Philippines – Although Smart-Manila won the national championship, all the teams were real winners in the Nokia National Basketball Training Center Developmental League. It’s because the participating players and coaches got the training and the chance of playing in a competitive environment conducive to upgrading their skills to the next level. “We are not the only ones who saw it, but also the players, their coaches, and the parents themselves gave us a positive feedback," said NBTC director Alex Compton. The first Nokia NBTC D-League benefited 29 teams with 18 players each. “Not only did they get to train individual skills, but they were also able to compete against the best of the best in their city, region, and (of the) nation," Compton added. “And the best thing of all is that it was for free." Xavier University athletics director and Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) regional director Gerry Sabal said that the confidence in the players was noticeable. “We can really see the improvement in the players following the singular training approach by coaches Eric (Altamirano) and Alex (Compton). The coaches also benefited from the training," said Sabal. Sabal handled the Misamis Oriental and Iligan teams. The players where not the only ones who benefited from the program since the coaches will have the chance to pass on what they have learned to other players in their home town. “This has always been the aim of the Nokia NBTC D-League from the very start. Although there’s always a winner at the end of each tournament, all other teams share the glory in improving their players and coaches’ skill level," Altamirano said. – GMANews.TV