24 teams to strut wares in NBTC cagefest

MANILA, Philippines – Led by reigning champion National U-Nazareth School, 24 squads featuring eight international teams duke it out in the anticipated return of the Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

With the third-ranked high school player Rein Jumamoy at helm, the Bullpups march into battle as the No. 1 seed in the stacked field for the comeback of the country’s largest tourney for the first time amid the pandemic.

Heavy favorites are the Bullpups, despite falling short in the semifinals of the ongoing UAAP Season 85 boys basketball, as they seek a three peat in the staple HS tourney powered by Smart Communications, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour and Molten.

Rookie mentor Kevin De Castro will call shots for NUNS with hopes of replicating the feat of his predecessors in now NU Bulldogs tactician Jeff Napa and UP Maroons coach Goldwin Monteverde.

NUNS’ first test is No. 24 seed PCU-Dasmariñas, champion from Cavite zone, tomorrow in the seeding phase of the Super 24 that includes UAAP and NCAA bets, eight overseas squads and 12 representatives from the local qualifiers.

Taking the first crack in NBTC’s return is No. 6 Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, led by No. 1 ranked player and Gilas Pilipinas youth ace Jared Bahay, against European champion Rome Elite at 9 a.m. today.

Bahay’s fellow Gilas players in Caelum Harris, Jacob Bayla and Zain Mahmood, meanwhile, banner the Fil-Nation Select from the United States as among the perennial contenders expected to give NSNU a run for its own money.

Fil-Nation Select clashes with NCR’s Doc Boleros Camanava at 3 p.m. with the matches of Toronto-SBIS-Calamba, Holy Trinity General Santos-Pinoy Mavs New Zealand, Mapua-Royal Star Trading Don Bosco and Pampang Delta-Homegrown Australia capping the opening day.

All games will be livestreamed on Facebook via the NBTC, Smart Sports, and Puso Pilipinas pages.

The 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals is sponsored by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Foundation, Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events.