Basketball: Filipino community jazz up basketball

Dean Apor keeps a watchful eye during the Jazzville junior training camp.

Filipinos world over love basketball which they hold close to their hearts.
The scene in the UAE, especially Dubai, is no exception. During the peak season when the various mainly community-based leagues take place in NBA styled ambience, clubs, sometimes with invited imports from the PBA in Manila, is more of a family occasion. Children accompany their parents who are either players or are involved as spectators.
Jazzville, a top Filipino men's outfit here won their 27th title in a Fujairah event recently. They are now engaged with their preparations for a GCC level inter-club competition in Doha later this month. 
Khaleej Times caught up with Jazville's training and grassroot programmes at the Dubai Sports World (DSW), now on at the DWTC. We talked to the head coach, players, owner and officials.
"The nucleus of Jazzville All Stars, as the side will be known for the Qatar Philippine community championships from June 15-17, will be from the talent pool available in the city and perhaps some upcoming juniors who show promise," said Dean Apor, player/coach of the side.
Now 34, Apor turned out for second tier PBA sides and went on to play in the universities-based PCCA league with distinction. He was selected to play for the combined Young Men's squad in the PCCA tournament.
At the DSW, one will see mid school and senior students undergoing coaching and finer skills programmes under the watchful eyes of senior players cum coaches of Jazville. 
The Philippines coming back into the top three bracket in Asia after they dominated the sport in the continent in the 60s and 70s, comes as a relief for many supporters here.
"The PBA has gone through a lot of transformation to stand up to the new demands of the sport. Generally the physique of the Filipinos tend to be on the smaller side but with some top coaches and imports, and invitees from the NBA and elsewhere in the world, the standards have gone up again," said Apor.
On the intensity levels of the sport here, he said: "The kids are ever enthusiastic thanks to the parents and the school coaches in the UAE. A couple of talented ones have been advised to go back and join the mainstream, and I have personally insisted on them meeting some of the top grassroot coaches and institutions. As encouragement, we have also made requests to several people for scholarships for the promising ones."
Rolando Crisotomo an entrepreneur here, specialising in technical support services, sports, leagues and playing wear, owns the Jazzville basketball team. "Sports holds an important part in our company. For this we have brought down pros to coach and play for side in our league and others, and also to help upgrade the sport in the community."
On the side's prospects for the Philippines Independence Day tournament in Doha, Jake Antonio and Joanna Marie Jasme, player/coach and team official respectively, said: "It will be our debut in the event. The standards I hear are high but with our experience and the well drilled court routines we are used to, should see us go far."
moni@khaleejtimes.com