BalotSports.info

Tall and agile players. These are what Nokia RP 18-and-under head coach Eric Altamirano hopes to find beginning Jan. 4 when he launches his search for cagers who will represent the country in the FIBA Asia U-18 Championships for Men in September.

Altamirano took over the mantle from Franz Pumaren, who piloted the first U-18 team to seventh place in the 2008 edition in Tehran, Iran.

The former UP Maroon was tasked to handle the U-18 squad after steering the 16-and-under quintet to a fourth place finish in the FIBA-Asia U-16 meet in Johor Bahru, Malaysia last November.

"Our mindset for the U-18 should be a bit different this time, but we will again continue to draw on our strengths of quickness, outside shooting and team play," said Altamirano.

He hopes the series of tryouts will also flush out tall and mobile players since other Asian countries are expected to parade teenaged behemoths.

"We need to get tall and talented players since we will be up against strong teams like Iran, China and Kazakhstan," Altamirano said.

China, which has won eight titles in 20 tournaments, is expected to form a strong team to atone for a fifth place finish the last time around.

The Chinese team walked out of their game against Syria due to perceived poor officiating in the 2008 competitions to place only No. 5.

Among the players in the RP U-16 team who may be considered for the U-18 squad are skipper Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, Roldan Sara, Gelo Alolino, Jeron Teng, Jeoffrey Javillonar, Kevin Ferrer, Mike Pate, Mike Tolomia, Nestor Bantayan, Paolo Romero and Cedric Labing-isa.

The Philippines has a rich tradition in the event formerly known as the FIBA Asia Youth Championship, hosting the biennial meet six times (1972, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986 and 1989) and winning six titles overall.

The first five titles were won in succession from the initial year in 1970 to 1978 while the last crown was taken during the 1982 edition.

Sadly, it was all downhill from there as the country's best finish since then was second place in 1986. Additionally, the last time the nation reached the semifinals was back in 1992.