Batang PBA Tournament 2023 Kicks Off with Exciting Debut of Young Prospects

After a three-year break due to the pandemic, the highly anticipated 2023 Batang PBA tournament finally kicked off on Sunday. Fans were excited to see the young sons of current and former PBA players showcase their skills at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo. Barangay Ginebra, one of the most popular teams in the PBA, had a strong start to their campaign with a dominating 106-34 win over Rain or Shine in the Under-12 Division.

The Gin Kings put on a collective effort, with every player on their team getting on the scoresheet. Zion Aguilar led the charge with an impressive 20-point performance, followed by Sky Jazul (10), Sam Paras (8), Elvin Pascual (5), and Cassius Norwood (4). Interestingly, all four players have famous basketball fathers, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine, RJ Jazul of Phoenix, Jake Pascual of NLEX, and Benjie Paras, the only PBA Rookie-MVP.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial was present to welcome all the participants and declared the tournament open. In the Under-14 division, the PBA Stalwarts, led by Carlos Miguel Victolero (son of Magnolia mentor Chito) and Mick Pingris (son of former Purefoods star Marc), suffered a heartbreaking 60-61 defeat against Cavitex. Meanwhile, Purefoods emerged victorious over Ginebra in the other 14-and-under match, with Gab Reyes and Ziv Espinas shining for the team in blue.

The PBA Greats also appeared, taking on the PBA Stalwarts in the other U-12 match. They ended with a comfortable 55-38 win, with players such as Dumana, Pascual, and Halili making notable contributions.

Twenty teams have entered the 14-under and 12-under divisions, each divided into four groups of five. After the single-round eliminations, the top two teams in each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals. The winners will then compete in the knockout semis finals.

Conclusion

The opening of the Batang PBA Tournament 2023 was a much-awaited event for basketball fans. With the return of the youth league, fans were thrilled to see the young sons of PBA players show off their skills on the court. The debut games did not disappoint, and the excitement will continue as the tournament progresses. The Batang PBA tournament provides a platform for these young prospects to showcase their talents and develop their potential as they work towards becoming professional basketball players.

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