5th Slam Rising Stars Classic set this Sunday

Coming this Sunday

The fifth edition of the SLAM Rising Stars Classic takes place this weekend, as the best high school ballers in the land get to strut their stuff in an exhibition game at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.

Teaming up and leading the way for Team Hype are the UAAP and NCAA HS Most Valuable Players CJ Cansino (UST) and Will Gozum (Mapua/Malayan).

Gozum says, "I expect good competition kasi sobrang selected sa iba’t-ibang school na the best talaga, so pride paglalabanan. Underdog lahat, magkakasing-level, wala ‘yung mamaliitin mo. Dapat talaga go hard lahat kasi for you ayaw mong maii-score-an ng iba." Already committed to play collegiate ball for the University of the Philippines, he shares that playing in this game allows him the chance to partially make up from losing in the NCAA Finals this past season.

Cansino adds, "Expectation ko siyempre magiging competitive lahat kasi siyempre selection ng best high school players, so hindi magiging madali ‘yung SLAM [Rising Stars Classic] kasi it’s about pride para sa akin." The UST commit also shares, "Gusto ko ma-achieve siyempre una ay manalo and sana makuha ko din ang MVP."

Completing the cast of ballers for Team Hype are Harvey Pagsanjan (Hope Christian), Raven Cortez (La Salle-Zobel), Inand Fornillos (La Salle-Greenhills), Neil Tolentino (Letran), John Galinato (Chiang Kai Shek), L-Jay Gonzales (FEU-Diliman), Terrence Fortea (Nazareth-NU), Mac Guadana (Lyceum), and the Ateneo trio of Joaqui Manuel, Jason Credo, and SJ Belangel.

As for Team Punks, they are backstopped by the Finals MVPs of the UAAP and NCAA in Kai Sotto of Ateneo and Joel Cagulangan of La Salle- Greenhills. The other members of Team Punks are Rhayyan Amsali (Nazareth-NU), Jason Celis (Chiang Kai Shek), RJ Abarrientos (FEU-Diliman), Vincent Cunanan (Lyceum), Clint Escamis and Warren Bonifacio (Mapua/Malayan), Jo-em Sabandal (Adamson), Evan Nelle (San Beda), Dave Ildefonso (Ateneo), and Aaron Fermin (Arellano).

For some, it is a chance to meet new teammates who were once adversaries, like what Bonifacio and Sabandal told the media during the press conference last Saturday.

Last year saw Hype defeat Punks, 89-83, with Juan Gomez de Liano being named as the MVP.

ABS-CBN Sports has broadcast rights to this exhibition, which will be shown LIVE on S+A immediately after UAAP volleyball on March 18, with online streaming also available.

Things are about to get real for a new batch of high school basketball players as they go head to head at this year’s SLAM Rising Stars Classic.
To continue their path towards greatness, 25 select high school standouts will battle for pride at the annual exhibition game to be held on March 18 at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong to see how their respective skills match up against the toughest competition.