NU-Nazareth School (NUNS) will try to prove its mettle against the best high school teams in the region when they compete in Singapore during the NBA Rising Stars Invitational.
National University-Nazareth School will have the perfect opportunity to bounce back from heartbreaking losses in UAAP high school hoops as they now get the chance to represent the Philippines at the NBA Rising Stars Invitational in June.
Having ruled the Philippine qualifiers over the weekend which culminated with the finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, both their boys and girls teams will be heading to Singapore late next month to vie in the first-ever Rising Stars Invitational--which pits the top high school teams in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Now bearing more than just the NUNS’ name, head coaches Kevin de Castro and Camilla Escoto are rising to the challenge in the hopes of giving their players a unique opportunity to grow alongside peers from across Asia.
“Unang-una, 'yung privilege na natanggap namin na nainvite kami [sa qualifiers], sa lahat ng high school teams, ang daming schools, pero kami 'yung isa sa mga napili. Then, luckily, thank God, kami 'yung magre-represent ng Team Philippines sa Singapore,” De Castro said.
“Siguro, we’ll take it, 'yung challenge. Tatanggapin sa sarili namin. Ang gusto ko lang sa kanila, [sa players], magandang challenge ito para sa kanila. Kasi international teams [ang kalaban namin].”
De Castro’s Bullpups avenged their UAAP finals loss against the UST Tiger Cubs when they drubbed their España foes in the qualifiers final, 101-75.
For Escoto, whose Lady Bullpups demolished the competition, it was a chance to repay the trust of the NUNS management, who continued to support them even as they fell short of their goal during the UAAP season.
[READ: NUNS’ Camilla Escoto happy to see more exposure for girls hoops with NBA HS tiff]
Now with the chance to recover in the biggest of ways, Escoto says her players will be up for the challenge.
“I’d like to credit 'yung NU management. 'Yung boys at 'yung girls. Obviously, pareho kaming talo sa UAAP, and yet 'yung management namin [is] still out there supporting us, 100% in all aspects na kailangan namin. So siguro excited lang kami and speaking on behalf of the boys, thankful sa ganitong opportunity and we’ll do our best,” she said.
“Alam naman natin 'yung larong Pilipino, 'di 'yan nagba-backdown sa kahit anong tournament internationally. Kahit medyo mas maliliit tayo. So we’ll just do our best and give our best effort.”
Among the players who will be bannering Team Philippines is the boys’ team’s Shaun Lucido, who was also named MVP of the Rising Stars Invitational Philippine qualifiers.
Faced with bigger challenges in his young career, Lucido said that he is simply willing to learn from whatever is coming for him and his teammates.
“Siguro 'yung pressure is always there talaga and syempre, 'yung mindset na lang po namin is we will enjoy the game and take this opportunity na lang,” he said.
The NBA Rising Stars Invitational kicks off in Singapore on June 25 to 29.