NBTC Finals and All-Star Showcase on Tap

Top Row (L-R): Andre Paras, Jerie Pingoy, Clint Doliguez, Bong Quinto and Ralph Atangan
Bottom Row (L-R): Ato Badolato, Alex Compton, Sonny Barrios, Eric Altamirano

For the second year running, the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) will be having their All-Star Showcase at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City.

Patterned after the McDonald's All-America game, it is a chance for thirty of the best high school players in the Philippines to strut their stuff and impress fans and coaches. Those who would be attending this game will have the chance to possibly see the future stars in the collegiate ranks.

The task of determining the composition of the team came down to the selection committee under the auspices of legendary coach Ato Badolato, with the help of the different coaches, particularly in the selection of the players from the provinces, of which eight of them made the showcase. One of those highly touted provincial players will not make the trip however, as Kib Montalbo of St. John's Institute in Bacolod (and committed to De La Salle University in the upcoming UAAP season) declined due to academic reasons.

In spite of Kib's absence, there will be an interesting set of incoming collegiate prospects on display. Headed by the likes of Jerie Pingoy of FEU, Ralph Atangan of NU, Andre Paras of LSGH, Clint Doliguez of Hope Christian, with FEU's Michael Oliver and San Beda's Britt Reroma handling the coaching duties for this All-Star Showcase.

The All-Star Showcase is not just the only NBTC event this weekend.

The weekend will be a witness to the crowning of the NBTC Finals, as sixteen teams duke it out to determine the best secondary school.

The sixteen schools are grouped into four groups, broken down below with their respective game skeds:

Group A: Hope Christian HS (NCR), Calayan Educational Foundation Inc. (Southern Luzon via Lucena),  St. Albert D' Great School (Northern Luzon via Dagupan) and West Negros University (Visayas via Bacolod)

Hope Christian vs West Negros - 3/1 8am at Ultra
CEF Inc. vs St. Albert D' Great - 3/1 1230pm at Ultra
West Negros vs CEF Inc. - 3/1 330pm at Ynares Arena
St. Albert D' Great vs Hope Christian - 3/1 5pm at Ynares Arena
St. Albert D' Great vs West Negros - 3/2 11am at Ynares Arena
CEF Inc. vs Hope Christian - 3/2 230pm at Ultra

Group B: San Beda (NCR), Faith Academy (NCR), Don Bosco Technical Institute (Northern Luzon via Tarlac) and Southern City College (Mindanao via Zamboanga)

San Beda vs DBTI - 3/1 930am at Ynares Arena
Southern City College vs San Beda - 3/1 2pm at Ultra
DBTI vs Faith Academy - 3/1 5pm at Ultra
Faith Academy vs San Beda - 3/2 930am at Ultra
Southern City College vs DBTI - 3/2 930 at Ynares
Faith Academy vs Southern City College - 3/2 230pm at Meralco Gym

Group C: National University (NCR), Sto. Domingo National HS (Southern Luzon via Legazpi), Iloilo Central Commercial HS (Visayas via Iloilo) and Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School (Mindanao via Cagayan de Oro)

NU vs ICCHS - 3/1 930am at Ultra
Sto. Domingo National vs Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori - 3/1 1230pm at Ynares Arena
Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori vs NU - 3/1 330pm at Ultra
ICCHS vs Sto. Domingo National HS - 3/2 8am at Ynares
Sto. Domingo National HS vs NU - 3/2 11am at Ultra
ICCHS vs Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori - 3/2 4pm at Ultra

Group D: Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (Visayas via Cebu), Christian Values School (Southern Luzon via Cavite), La Union (Northern Luzon via La Union) and Holy Child College (Mindanao via Davao)

SHS-Ateneo de Cebu vs Christian Values School - 3/1 8am at Ynares Arena
Christian Values School vs La Union - 3/1 2pm at Ynares Arena
Holy Child College vs SHS-Ateneo de Cebu - 3/2 8am at Ultra
SHS-Ateneo de Cebu vs La Union - 3/2 1pm at Ultra
Holy Child College vs Christian Values School - 3/2 1pm at Meralco Gym
La Union vs Holy Child College - 3/2 4pm at Meralco Gym

Each group will have a round robin, playing three times in a stretch of two days, as noted above. The school with the best record on each group will advance to the semifinals, which will be played on the morning of March 3, with Group A paired with Group D on one bracket to take place at the Ultra, while Group B and Group C paired on the other bracket and will be played at Ynares.

The winners of the semis would then play for the title of NBTC Champion on the afternoon of March 3, immediately after the All-Star Showcase at the Ynares Arena. 

Sacred Heart is looking to win this for the third year running now, although this year the Cebuanos will have to do it without Julius Cadavis and Henry Asilum.