Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

SMART NBTC: Sacred Heart, UST, Canadian teams advance to Div 1


Raffy Celis stole the show from peer Jared Bahay and anchored Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Landmaster to a dominant 99-54 blowout of Rome Elite Italy to open the 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The hardworking forward fired 11 points and nine rebounds as the Magis Eagles lorded down low and grabbed 54 boards to the Fil-Italians’ 27.

“We just executed and we did what we practiced,” said Celis as the Francis Auquico-mentored side advanced to the Division 1 of this tourney powered by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten.

Bahay, the top-ranked HS player, was happy to set his teammates up and finished with seven points, five assists, four steals, and three rebounds, while Jelomar Rota scored 11.

UST also earned early entry to Division 1 after clipping Team Tarlac, 66-62.

NBTC All-Star Mark Llemit uncorked 13 points, as James Jumao-as had 12 for the Tiger Cubs.

Winnipeg slipped past Team United USA, 86-72, behind Lorence Dela Cruz’ 22 points, eight boards, and three assists, as fellow Canadian squad Toronto routed St. Benilde International School, 83-63, after Gabriel Obusan’s 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.

Losers of the Super 24 were relegated to Division 2, but will still play in the Magic 12 round-robin phase in the next two days.

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

The 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals is sponsored by 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, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

#ReadMore  Folayang warns Ting: 'It’s time for the Landslide to take over'

Catch the SMART NBTC National Finals from March 15 to 19, 2023 only on SMART Sports’ Facebook page.

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

Jared Bahay, the no. 1 high school basketball player in the Philippines, officially committed to University of the Philippines on Thursday. The 17-year-old point...

Basketball

The National Basketball Training Center is like the graduation day for junior basketball players in the country. Usually taking place after the boys’ basketball...

Basketball

By: Rom Anzures Raffy Celis, a 19-year-old forward from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, may have fallen short of making it to the finale...

Uncategorized

National University Nazareth School’s Reinhard Jumamoy closed out his high school basketball career in spectacular fashion, leading the Bullpups to their third consecutive championship...

Basketball

By: Rom Anzures BJ Villarin, a rising junior from National University Nazareth School, may have gone scoreless in the Final of the Smart-NBTC Nationals...

Basketball

It was a tough defeat for Fil-Am Nation in the Division 1 Finals of the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) against National University Nazareth...

Basketball

NU-Nazareth School scored its third straight – and fourth overall – championship in the 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals after zooming past FilNation Select-USA, 75-64,...

AU

SJ Moore showed out against the Philippines’ top high school players. The 19-year-old athletic winger earned the coveted title of NBTC Most Outstanding Player,...

Advertisement