Jared Bahay continues to make history, becoming the first guard to top the National Basketball Training Center 24 for two years in a row.
Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu’s playmaker held onto the No. 1 ranking he has owned since last year after leading his side’s successful title defense in CESAFI Season 23 junior basketball.
He joins Ateneo High School’s Kai Sotto as the only players to rule over back-to-back in the final rankings of the most impressive under-19 talents in all of the Philippines.
In the process, Bahay bested De La Salle Zobel do-it-all wing Kieffer Alas and presumptive NCAA Season 99 Juniors MVP Amiel Acido of the University of Perpetual Help, who wound up No. 2 and 3, respectively.
The 18-year-old playmaker was the first-ever non-UAAP and non-NCAA player to top the NBTC 24 and retains that title.
He spearheads a historic six-player contingent from the regions who will showcase their skills on March 23 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
(C) Magis Eagles
Fellow Magis Eagle Jelo Rota (12) will also be present alongside Andre Lumanag (21, Toyomoto Auto Supply-Davao), Jevy Hinoguin (22, Yengskivel Sportswear-CAMANAVA), Renz Apor (23, Batang Tiaong-Quezon), and Peter Peteros (24, Khalifa-Cebu), who stood out from the NBTC Regional Championships in Mindanao, North Luzon, South Luzon, and Visayas.
“This is further proof that grassroots basketball is alive and well in the Philippines, and hopefully, as NBTC continues to grow and get stronger, we get more and more promising prospects all over the country,” said NBTC program director Eric Altamirano.
Alas fronts a total of 10 representatives from the UAAP, including Doy Dungo (4, University of Santo Tomas), Tebol Garcia (5, Adamson High School), Vince Reyes (7, Adamson), Ports Porter (8, Ateneo), Veejay Pre (10, Far Eastern University-Diliman), John Alejandro (14, University of the East), Macmac Alfanta (16, National University-Nazareth School), Daryl Valdeavilla (19, University of the Philippines Integrated School), and Wacky Ludovice (20, UST).
The NCAA, meanwhile, counts nine players in the NBTC All-Star Game, with Acido flanked by Titing Manalili (6, Colegio de San Juan de Letran), George Diamante (9, Letran), Jhames Daep (11, Perpetual), EJ Castillo (13, Emilio Aguinaldo College), Lawrence Mangubat (15, Mapua High School), Mark Gojo Cruz (17, Perpetual), and Ruvic Danag (18, San Sebastian College-Recoletos).
Rising stars from international and regional teams during the tournament will also be added to the lineups of Team Heart and Team Hustle.
Together with the annual exhibition of the best of the best young talents, the 2024 NBTC National Finals will also witness an All-Star Game from the Manila Live girls’ tournament, as well as the first-ever Manila Showcase, pitting the top players from Manila Live against the other standouts of the National Finals.
All the action in the 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Supermalls will be livestreamed on the NBTC and Smart Sports Facebook pages and will be available on the Smart Livestream app, now free for all networks.
