Texas Fil-Am athletes join combine camp in front of coaches and recruiters | ABS-CBN

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Texas Fil-Am athletes join combine camp in front of coaches and recruiters

Texas Fil-Am athletes join combine camp in front of coaches and recruiters

Cheryl Piccio | TFC News Houston

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Fil-Am Nation, an organization dedicated to providing Filipino-American athletes with opportunities for growth is making waves in the world of sports and education.

Its mission is to equip young talents with the necessary tools to advance their athletic careers.

In a regional exposure combine in Houston, Fil-Am Nation brought together aspiring athletes from across the region for unique chance to showcase their abilities in front of scouts, coaches, and mentors.

"The event entails players playing five on five," said Fil-Am Nation founder, Cris Gopez. "We also have an event called 'King of the Court' where we really get to see and assess and evaluate the players to see how well they compete with on one."

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Gopez added: "From there, we'll be able to see their strengths, their shooting skills, their ball-handling skills, all of that's going to be exposed now."

Organizers said the regional exposure combine wasn't just about displaying athletic prowess but was also an experience that emphasized personal growth, teamwork, and leadership.

The athletes also participated in workshops focused on leadership, sportsmanship, and cultural exchange.

Fil-Am Nation said its approach is what sets it apart, as it seeks to nurture individuals both on and off the field.

"[Coach Chris] said this would be a big step for me and he would like to see me play further on with Gilas and Fil Nation," said Kimi Sayson, who participated in the event. "He was giving me the opportunity to play. This is huge for me."

The regional combine culminated in a networking session.

There, the athletes had the chance to interact with coaches, scouts, and mentors, opening doors for potential scholarships and opportunities to play professionally.

"We look at talent and we assess that talent," said organizer Brian Ilagan. "[We] give them an opportunity to try out for the Gilas team."

Fil-Am Nation is determined to continue making an impact on the lives of aspiring Filipino athletes.

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Basketball

Basketball: Aguilas ready for WMPBL debut against Valkyries

Basketball: Aguilas ready for WMPBL debut against Valkyries

ABS-CBN News

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The core of the Adamson Lady Falcons have joined the roster of the Pilipinas Aguilas in the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. UAAP Media/FileThe core of the Adamson Lady Falcons have joined the roster of the Pilipinas Aguilas in the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. UAAP Media/File

MANILA -- The highly-touted Pilipinas Aguilas will make their debut in the 2025 Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) on Wednesday against New Zealand-Bluefire.

The Aguilas-Valkyries showdown will open the triple-header at the New Era Central Recreation and Fitness Center at 4 p.m.

On paper, the Pilipinas Aguilas boast one of the deepest rosters in the 14-team league. 

Anchored by the core of Adamson University, which finished third in the recently-concluded UAAP Season 87 Women's Basketball Tournament, the Aguilas have assembled a roster filled with stars.

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The lineup includes standouts such as Chack Cabinbin, Jhazmin Joson, Monique Del Carmen, Trina Guytingco, Mar Prado, Tina Deacon, Mikka Cacho, Kath Araja, and Melody Cac.

Adding to their firepower is Alexis Pana, a 5-foot-9 Fil-Hawaiian forward who previously played in the EuroCup for CS Universitatea Cluj and Kibirkstis Vilnius.

Despite the high expectations surrounding the team, head coach Ryan Monteclaro remains focused on taking things one step at a time.

"We understand that when you see familiar names on a team, expectations will naturally be higher. For us, though, everyone is essentially a rookie. It's our first time to compete on this platform. Our goal is to improve every day, and from there, we'll take it step by step until we achieve our objectives," said Monteclaro, who will be assisted by Eric Altamirano and supported by analytics guru Paolo Layug as team manager.

Meanwhile, the Valkyries are looking to go 2-0 in this league backed by Manny Pacquiao, Senator Francis Tolentino, and the MPBL Partylist.

New Zealand-Bluefire is coming off a gritty 54-51 win over Cavite-Tol on opening day, with La Salle standouts Snow Peñaranda and Khate Castillo leading the charge.

Also seeking their second victories in this tournament supported by Uratex, Discovery Suites, Red Dynasty, Gotobox, Gerry's Grill, Prettiest, Team Graphitee, Evo Performance Helmets, Ryzen Helmets, Katinko, Dorayd, Sogo Hotel, Global Bosny Manufacturing, and Bavin are the Galeries Tower and the University of Santo Tomas.

The Skyrisers will face the Solar Home Suns at 6 p.m., while the UST Tigresses battle the PSP Lady Gymers in the nightcap.

The Suns and the Lady Gymers, both coming off opening-day losses, will look to bounce back and secure their first wins of the tournament.

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