NBTC All-Star, Finals feature finest jr cagers

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine version of “March Madness” will soon be staged at the world-class Mall of Asia Arena.

From March 13-17, the top 22 high school squads from all over the country will see action in the SM-NBTC League National high school championship.

Also set to take place is the fifth SM-NBTC High School All-Star Game featuring 24 of the finest junior players in the country.

It took months of grueling competition among 700 high schools from 48 cities to determine the top 22 teams that will be joined by squads from Canada and Thailand.

The teams will be divided into Division 1 and Division 2.

The local teams that will vie for the honors as the country top high school team are Lyceum, Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu, Bacolod Tay Tung, St. Robert’s International School, Assumption Montessori School, Southern City Colleges, Assumption College of Davao, San Beda College, Chiang Kai Shek College, Bato Rural Development High School, Palawan National High School, De La Salle Lipa, Rex Dei Academy, Our Lady of Pillar College Cauayan, Castillejos National High School, Angeles University Foundation, St. Louis College High School, Linao National High School, Paref Springdale School, Dr. Aurelio Mendoza Memorial College, Agusan National High School and the winner of the UAAP juniors crown to be decided next week.

Coming in to join the action are Durham Crossover of Canada and Trail International School from Thailand.

“This will increase the competitiveness of the tournament and expose our high school teams to better competition,” said National Basketball Training Center program director Alex Compton, the head coach of Alaska Milk in the PBA.

“The large number of high school teams from the Philippines plus the foreign participation underscores the growth of this tournament that is now on its ninth year,” Compton added.