After eight weeks of deliberation, the Chooks-to-Go/National Basketball Training Center unveiled the 24 student-athletes that will play in the premier high school all-star game in the country.
The Chooks-to-Go/NBTC 24 is the first-ever attempt to rank the top high school prospects from all over the country today.
The weekly ranking compiled league stats, impact in team, team record, leadership, defense, offense, and level of competition to determine who will make it to the event set to be played on March 23 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Topping the list is UAAP Season 80 Juniors Basketball Finals Most Valuable Player Kai Sotto. Sotto, the top high school big man in the country today, is part of the 23 for 2023 Gilas cadets and helped steer the Ateneo Blue Eaglets to the UAAP Season 80 championship.
Joel Cagulangan of La Salle Green Hills ended the season as the top point guard in the country after steering the Junior Blazers to their first-ever NCAA Juniors crown.
Sotto’s teammate SJ Belangel came in at third and is the consensus top senior in the country. NCAA Season 93 MVP Will Gozum of Mapua and UAAP MVP CJ Cansino of UST, both seniors as well, completed the top five.
UAAP Season 80 Mythical team members Dave Ildefonso of Ateneo and L-Jay Gonzales of FEU were six and seven respectively while FCAAF and MMBL MVP John Galinato of Chiang Kai Shek came in at eight. Rounding out the top 10 are forward Rhayyan Amsali of NU and NCAA Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Fermin of Arellano.
Ranked 11 to 15 are guard Clint Escamis of Mapua, forward Inand Fornillos of LSGH, center Warren Bonifacio of Mapua, guard Terrence Fortea of NU, and guard RJ Abarrientos of FEU. San Beda lifer Evan Nelle came in at 16.
CESAFI MVP Beirn Laurente of UV, who is the first of three Cebu-based student-athletes in the showcase, came in at 17. NU’s one-and-done senior Miguel Oczon, all-around Adamson star Joem Sabandal, and De La Salle Zobel standout Raven Cortez were ranked 18, 19, and 20 respectively.
Completing the top 24 are Mac Guadana of Lyceum, SM-NBTC Cebu MVP Joshua Yerro of UV, Harvey Pagsanjan of Hope, and Cebuano big man Alex Visser of Sacred Heart-Cebu.
On Thursday, March 8, the Chooks-to-Go/NBTC All-Star Draft will take place at 7:00pm with Coach Chris Gavina and Coach Topex Robinson selecting who will compose their team. Ateneo champion coach Joe Silva will be selecting for Robinson while LSGH champion coach Marvin Bienvenida will pick for Gavina. It will stream live over at Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas’ Facebook page.
