Prepsters showcase skills

Expect a lot of college coaches and recruiters in the stands when 30 of the country’s top high school ballers take to the floor in the second Seaoil National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) All-Star Game at 11 this morning in the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Five of the 30 juniors showed up at the NBTC press conference last Wednesday on project director Eric Altamirano’s invitation. They were two-time UAAP MVP Jerie (Koko) Pingoy of FEU, UAAP Finals MVP Raphael Atangan of NU, MMBL MVP Clint Doliguez of Hope Christian, NCAA MVP Bong Quinto of Letran and rising star Andre Paras of La Salle Greenhillls.

“I think we’re getting together the best high school players in the country,” said Altamirano. “But we’ll miss Bacolod’s Kib Montalbo who begged off because he has an exam to take tomorrow. Still, we’ve got the cream of the crop. It will be quite a showcase, patterned after the McDonald’s All-American high school classic in the US.”

The remarkable thing is 12 of the 30 stand at least six feet tall, indicating the next generation is a tall breed. Chiang Kai Shek’s 6-5 Wilson Bartolome, San Sebastian’s 6-4 Jon Macasaet and 6-3 Paras are the towers in the group.

The All-Stars are split into two teams of 15. The Light team is coached by FEU’s Mike Oliver. The Light players are Paras, 6-1 Reggie Mondo of NU, 5-7 Edralin Villanueva of Hope Christian, 6-0 Doliguez, 5-11 Ralph Busa of NU, 5-11 Jeson Delfinado of FEU, 5-6 Axel Inigo of San Beda, 5-11 Rey Nambatac of Letran, 6-0 Kimlee Bayquin of Chiang Kai Shek, 5-9 Carlo Young of Chiang Kai Shek, Bartolome, 5-10 Andres Desederio of University of Visayas, 5-10 Yozi Manguilimoton of Emar Learning Center of Davao, 6-0 Kraniel Viloria of West Negros University of Bacolod and 5-11 Raymond Andico of Southern City College of Zamboanga.

The Dark team is coached by San Beda’s Britt Reroma. The Dark players are 5-11 Atangan, 6-1 Mario Bonleon of La Salle Greenhills, 5-11 Roger Domingo Jr. of FEU, 6-0 Robert Bolick of La Salle Greenhills, 6-0 Bong Quinto of Letran, 5-8 Pingoy, 6-1 Jeric Diego of Mapua, 5-9 Alwin John Margallo of Adamson, Macasaet, 5-11 Kyles Lao of Xavier School, 5-8 Levi de la Cruz III of NU, 5-10 Jefher John Egan of St. Mary’s School of Cagayan de Oro, 5-6 Arc Gabriel Araw-Araw of Sacred Heart of Cebu, 6-0 Jeric Adorio of Sun Yat Sen of Iloilo and 5-10 Ricky Peromingan of Bukidnon Faith Christian.

* * * *

Of the 30, eight are from provincial schools. In the NBTC Elite League national championships, 12 teams qualified from the city and regional eliminations outside of Metro Manila – Dagupan (St. Albert D’Great School), La Union (La Finn Scholastica) and Tarlac (Don Bosco Technical Institute) from North Luzon, Lucena (Calayan Educational Foundation), Cavite (Christian Values School) and Legazpi (Sto. Domingo National High School) from South Luzon, Cebu (Sacred Heart School), Iloilo (Iloilo Central Commercial High School) and Bacolod (West Negros University) from the Visayas and Davao (Holy Child College), Zamboanga (Southern City College) and Cagayan de Oro (Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School) from Mindanao. Metro Manila is represented by the four semifinalists of the MMBL – San Beda College, National University, Faith Academy and Hope Christian.

“The NBTC wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors Seaoil, MVP Sports Foundation and Molten,” said Altamirano. “Because of our sponsors, we are able to offer free travel, board and lodging for all the teams in the national championships. We are excited to provide this opportunity to all of our school teams nationwide completely for free. In the coaches convention, we take care of the coaches when they arrive in Manila and provide for their board, lodging and transportation. However, they pay their way to Manila as a form of commitment to the program which is mandatory for all coaches to participate in the NBTC city and regional eliminations.”

The NBTC Elite League is now on its seventh year. This season, it partnered with the MMBL, whose commissioner Ato Badolato is the NBTC’s selection committee head, to bring Metro Manila back to the fold after a three-year absence.

“I’m sure everyone’s excited to watch the All-Star Game, especially UAAP and NCAA scouts,” said Altamirano. “Doliguez, for instance, scored 46 points in Hope Christian’s 93-87 win over San Beda in the MMBL Finals. Paras is Benjie’s son. He’s a complete player. He can shoot the three, slash, post up, rebound and defend. Nambatac is a former NCAA Rookie of the Year and MVP. Pingoy is a two-time UAAP MVP. From the provinces, Araw-Araw and Desederio are two of the players to watch.”

* * * *

The treat for the fans is right after the All-Star Game, the title match of the NBTC Elite League national championships is scheduled at 1 p.m., also at the Ynares Sports Arena. The finalists are the winners of the two semifinal duels at 8 this morning. The semifinal game between the Group A and Group D leaders will be played at the PhilSports Complex while the other semifinal game between the Group B and Group C leaders will be played at the Ynares Sports Arena. Group A is made up of Hope Christian, Calayan, St. Albert D’Great and West Negros while Group B is composed of San Beda, Faith, Don Bosco and Southern City College. Comprising Group C are NU, St. Domingo, Iloilo Central Commercial and Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori. Group D lists Sacred Heart of Cebu, Christian Values, La Finn Scholastica and Holy Child College of Davao. Matches involving teams in each group began last Friday.