Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
    View Today
    Sun, Nov 5

    SONS RISE: All the second-gen players in Batang PBA finals

    Young Norwood, Paras, Pascual, Jazul, Espinas follow in dads' footsteps
    Jun 22, 2023
    Batang PBA McCoy Pascual Gab Reyes Sam Paras Cash Norwood
    McCoy Pascual, Gab Reyes, Sam Paras, and Cash Norwood showed they got next.
    PHOTO: PBA Images

    THE Batang PBA proved to be a breeding ground not just for unheralded aspirants, but also for second-generation players eager to show that they can also make a name for themselves.

    The 14-Under and 12-U divisions featured a handful of sons of PBA veterans, who watched and cheered for their kids and their teams during games.

    Batang PBA

    While some got eliminated early, some showed they’re already winners at a young age.

    Here are the second-generation players who reached the championship round of their respective divisions.

    Second-generation players in Batang PBA Finals:

    GAB REYES

    He’s the son of PBA veteran Eric Reyes and played for Batang Purefoods in the 14-Under Division.

    Unlike his dad, who played as a big man in the pros for a decade, Gab thrives in the perimeter, a lefty shooter who knows how to get to open spots.

    MCCOY PASCUAL

    Batang PBA McCoy Pascual

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    He’s the son of PBA big man Jake Pascual and played for Batang Barangay Ginebra in the 12-Under Division.

    Inheriting the height of his 6-foot-4 dad, the 5-foot-10 McCoy towered over everybody in his division and showed solid rebounding and a decent jump-hook.

    Like his dad, McCoy studies at San Beda University Taytay and is turning Grade 8 this year.

    "Malaki yung improvement niya simula nung nag-start siya sa mga ball club na sinalihan namin," Jake said. "Malaking tulong din yung team niya sa Genesis na coach niya si Rj Jazul."

    "Nakakatuwa kasi pagmasadan habang nag-eenjoy siya sa mga practice at mga games nila. Kaya masaya ako sa improvement niya," the elder Pascual added.

    SAM PARAS

    He’s the youngest of Benjie Paras’ four sons, but he could be a growth spurt away from becoming the tallest among the siblings.

    Playing for Batang Barangay Ginebra 12-U, Sam is a solid pick-and-roll partner who can finish when rewarded with a pass.

    CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
    Watch Now

    “Syempre malaki, matangkad,” Batang Ginebra coach RJ Jazul said. “He knows his role. Yun yung maganda kay Sam eh. He’s not forcing things. He’s playing his role lang: rebound, defense, and if the score comes, he can score naman talaga.”

    CASH NORWOOD

    Cash Norwood

    The son of Gabe Norwood gained valuable experience playing with Batang Barangay Ginebra and against older kids in the 12-Under division.

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    Not letting his long hair and goggles bother him, Cash is money on perimeter defense when called upon.

    “Bata pa si Cash sa age level na nilalaruan namin,” Jazul said. “I’m happy for him na nakasama sa amin at syempre siya rin, lalo na kalaban mo malalaki na older than him. I think he’s doing good sa age niya.”

    RILEY PARAS

    The older brother of Sam, Riley played for Batang Purefoods in the 14-Under Division.

    A 5-foot-10 shooting guard, Riley could be a future University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cub or a San Beda Red Cub.

    Riley already has big dreams, wanting to go pro abroad like his older brother Kobe.

    “I want to go overseas to Japan or China,” he said. “It’s pretty unrealistic to go for the NBA, because there’s a lot of requirements and there’s a lot of things you need to be capable of, so I think aiming for overseas is good enough.”

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    MORE FROM SPIN
    MORE FROM SPIN

      SKY JAZUL

      A blessing and a curse playing under dad RJ Jazul at Batang Barangay Ginebra 12-U, Sky maximized the opportunity to show his playmaking – and learned from mistakes when called out by his father-coach.

      After leading his team to the 12-U title, the 5-foot-4 combo guard hopes to make it to the Ateneo Blue Eaglets roster.

      ZIV ESPINAS

      Already standing 6’2”, the son of Gabby Espinas looked like a man among boys in the 14-U division.

      Like his dad, Ziv has great footwork and knows his way around the paint – on top of a better outside shot than his dad.

      Ziv displayed his entire arsenal in the finale when he dropped 27 points in their four-point win against Batang Blackwater.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

      Read Next
      Watch Now
      Sorry, no results found for
      McCoy Pascual, Gab Reyes, Sam Paras, and Cash Norwood showed they got next.
      PHOTO: PBA Images
    • POLL

      • Quiz

        Quiz Result