Michael Jordan and other illustrious NBA players played in the US NCAA before.
Now, if that’s the gateway into the world’s biggest basketball league, a Batangueño in Dalph Alem Panopio has a strong shot at it.
Here is the reason why: Panopio, a Batang Gilas Pilipinas pool member, will soon strut his wares for Cal State Bakersfield in the US NCAA.
Born in Philippines but raised in Rome, Italy, the wily 6-foot-2 guard Panopio, has confirmed his commitment to Cal State.
He is currently playing for South Plains College in Texas.
Sotto And Green
Actually, that makes three opportunities for Ph to finally send in a Filipino basketball player into the most prestigious basketball league including 7-foot-2 behemoth in youthful wunderkind Kai Sotto and Fil-Am Jalen Green.
Sotto is just a few steps away from getting in there as he is already displaying his wares in the NBA G League together with the top high school Filipino-American recruit Jalen Green.
Sotto and Green headline the NBA G League’s new professional pathway which serves as an alternate route to the NBA instead of playing in the US NCAA.
A Native Of Mabini
Panopio is among the roster of players in the 2021 class of Italian/Filipinos that joined the league in Texas.
He averages 17.8 points and 5.5 assists while shooting an impressive 50 percent average from the 3-point arc.
Panopio grew up in the diving site, Mabini town in Batangas, but lived most of his life with his family in Italy, where many Batangueños hold sway with assorted jobs.
Panopio’s family is from Barangay Gasang in Mabini.
Start ‘Em Young
“Nag-start po ako noong tinuruan po ako ng daddy ko at tito ko sa mga court dun sa labas [sa Italy], mga semento yun. Nag-start po ako ng 5 years old,” said Panopio, who played for Project Batang Gilas along with Kai Sotto and AJ Edu in the FIBA Under 17 and Under 18 last year.
Panopio seriously played basketball at age of 12, joining hoops club Stellazzura of Italy.
From then on, he worked hard to flourish in the sport he chose and has been dreaming of playing for the Philippine national team to the point of letting go of an opportunity to play for the Italian national team.
“Nauna kasi talaga yung dream ko na maglaro para sa Gilas at saka hindi ko ineexpect na maglalaro ako sa national [team] ng Italy kasi maraming player na magagaling doon so mas marami playing time ko dito at mas magiging leader ako,” the 6-foot-2 court general said.
Panopio said he will use the opportunity in Cal State Bakersfield to improve and gain more skills so he can play again and represent Philippines not just in international tournament but locally or abroad.
Batangueños In The Court
The province of Batangas also has two illustrious players in the Philippine Basketball Association. They are LA Tenorio (Lewis Alfred Vásquez Tenorio) and Eric James Mandanas Camson.
Born on July 9, 1984 in Nasugbu, Tenorio plays for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in PBA. all Association (PBA). He is also an assistant coach for the Letran Knights of the Philippines’ NCAA.
Camson — born May 12, 1990 — plays for the Terrafirma Dyip also in the PBA. He was drafted 16th overall in the 2013 PBA draft by the Air21 Express.
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