BUOYED by the success of its initial conference,  the Quezon City Basketball League (QCBL) will embark on a city-wide campaign to discover more young and talented players.

QCBL Operations Director BJ Manalo said the city is teeming with basketball talents  --players and coaches -- waiting to be discovered and given the chance to excel.

“Our advocacy is really to help basketball. The QCBL, headed by Nino Reyes of FEU-NRMF,  is committed to this vision of providing support whenever and wherever it is needed,” said Manalo during the 10th “Usapang Sports”  presented by the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) at the National Press Club in Intramuros.

“We just completed our first conference  with three divisions last Sunday,  but we are already planning to hold more this year,” added Manalo,  who was accompanied during weekly sports forum by QCBL commissioners Ricky  Alcantara and .Pong Rollan and MVP awardee Kenneth Agustin of Team Nemesis.

“The next step is to go around the city, especially the barangays, and look for players who need the opportunity to hone their skills and achieve their dreams," explained Manalo,  who won championships with Ateneo during high school and  La  Salle during college before being selected  No. 13 overall by Purefoods in the 2005 PBA Draft.

Manalo, who also served as team manager of NorthPort in the PBA,  said he is happy to work with the QCBL in helping shape the careers of young players who dream of making it in basketball world.

“Not all good players get the chance to play in the UAAP and the NCAA, which could ge their passport to the PBA. The QCBL hopes to fill that role of giving them the opportunity to shine,” said Manalo,  who has embraced the role of helping young players since suffering a right knee injury in 2003.

“Hindi man natuloy yun career ko as a player,  nandito pa din tayo sa basketball para tumulong sa iba na may pangarap din. The QCBL is a  new challenge for me.”

Alcantara, an accomplished coach himself,  said the QCBL is set to  hold a 3x3 tournanent next month as a fitting follow-up to their first conference.

Trinity University of Asia Stallions  topped the QCBL  First Conference by beating Nyro Saints in the final at the FEU-NRMF gym last Feb. 10.