Kobe Paras and teammates visit Pacquiao
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 04 Apr 2015
LOS ANGELES ? Where his father and many other Filipinos failed, 17-year-old Kobe Paras succeeds.
The 6-foot-five Paras, son of the first PBA Rookie of the Year-MVP honoree Benjie Paras, will be wearing the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) tri-colors in the United States NCAA cage wars starting next year, becoming the first full-bloodied to have earned the honor.
?Next year pa po, kasi kailangan ko pang tapusin ang high school before I graduate to the collegiate ranks, the younger Paras, second son of the former University of the Philippines King Maroons in the UAAP, told this writer in a chance interview Wednesday night at the house of World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao here.
Kobe, Benjie and former teammates at the Cathedral High School Phantoms paid Pacquiao a visit to wish the eight-division Filipino titleholder good luck in his coming mega-fight with undefeated American World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association 147-pound titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr.on May 2 in Nevada?s sin city of Las Vegas.
Among Pacquiao?s visitors that evening, besides the father-and-son Parases were Coach William Middlebrook and his Phantoms, who made it in the Final Four of the State high school championship of the Max Preps tournament in California.
Pacquiao congratulated the young Paras or his achievement and at the same time advice him to carry the country?s name and colors as if playing or the Philippine team in an international competition.
?While you will be playing only or your school, play your best at all times and be proud that you are a Filipino,? Pacquiao told the young Paras. ?Ipakita mo ang kahusayan nating Pilipino sa larong basketball.?
?And because I?m sure will have teammates who came from different countries like you, ipakita mo kung bakit ang ating bansa ay minsang naging basketball power hindi lamang sa Asia kundi sa buong mundo man,? he told the young Paras.
?Isa nga pong malaking karangalan sa akin na mapaili as a future member of UCLA at dadalhin ko ang honor na yan sa aking paglalaro,? Paras, the son, or his part said.
Coach Middlebrook described Paras, a member of his starting five at no. 2 as a hardworking player who always play his best and is willing to always improve and excel.
?He has been doing well in our campaign and one o those responsible to bring the school to the Final four in the last Max Preps State championship,? Middlebrook said of the Filipino. ?He?s been an able scorer as well as a pillar in defense.?
Benjie was in L.A. as part of the San Beda team training in Las Vegas or the next NCAA season, passed by here to visit his son.
The Cathedral Phantoms stayed at the Pacquiao mansion for three hours, obliging or photo opportunities to other guests and Manny and Jinkee?s children, including Jimwell and Michael, who also played basketball in their respective schools in hometown General Santos City.
Photo: Kobe Paras and his dad, PBA legend Benjie Paras, together with his teammates from the LA Cathedral Phantoms team visited world eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao in his LA mansion. Photo by Aquiles Z. Zonio.
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