NCAA Volleyball semifinals set

c/o NCAA

Games Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre
12 noon – Arellano vs San Beda (Men)
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs Lyceum (Women) 

The NCAA Season 98 volleyball tournament is set to have its semifinal round on Wednesday, with second seeds Arellano and the University of Perpetual System Dalta seeking to earn their respective finals spots.

Both toting 8-1 records, the Chiefs and the Lady Altas need to win their respective one-game playoffs against San Beda and Lyceum, respectively, for a chance to avenge their elimination round defeats against Perpetual and the College of Saint Benilde, respectively.

The Red Spikers dispatched Emilio Aguinaldo College in the stepladder playoff on Sunday, 25-22 25-27 25-16 26-24, with Ralph Cabalsa leading the charge with 24 points. They will not make it easy against Arellano, as they took them to five sets before faltering, 23-25 24-26 25-22 25-23 14-16, back in February.

Later that afternoon, the Lady Pirates took care of business against Mapua, 25-18 25-23 29-31 27-25, with Joan Doguna contributing 22 points. Perpetual, however, remain as favorites given their 25-21 25-13 25-22 victory in the eliminations.

Amidst that potential mental disadvantage, head coach Cromwel Garcia promises, "Ang Lady Pirates po ay lalaban ulit."

Both games will be shown LIVE on GTV, with simultaneous streaming on the Facebook and YouTube accounts of GMA Sports and the NCAA Philippines.

The league will take a short break before the start of the finals on April 11.

Melencio, Alian commit to DLSU

DLSU's latest commits

La Salle has secured the commitments of two student-athletes from their numerous high school programs.

Rhyle Melencio of La Salle-Zobel and Ethan Alian of La Salle-Greenhills made it official on Tuesday at the EcoOil Offices in Mandaluyong.

"Nung nag-commit na ako sa La Salle tumaas palahibo ko dahil hindi ako makapaniwala na natupad na yung pangarap ko since bata ako," shares Melencio. The 19-year-old adds, "I'm just really happy na my dreams are coming true and malaking bagay to para sa akin and para sa family ko."

A member of the All-UAAP Season 85 Boys Team this past season, Rhyle says, "And syempre nag papasalamat ako kay Coach Topex (Robinson) na tinulungan niya ako matupad pangarap ko."

The 6'4 forward averaged a double-double all season for the Junior Archers with 17.4 points and 14.9 rebounds.

Alian, on the other hand, says, "For me, it's a dream come true kasi yung pagiging Lasallian ko kasi since Grade 6 nandun na ako."

Ethan adds, "Yung community po doon, Coach Topex, the managers, and my teammates, I feel will be good for my development not just as a player but also as a student." He averaged 12.08 points, 5.92 rebounds, 4.31 assists, and 1.62 steals, helping steer the Greenies to the finals in NCAA Season 98.

When asked about what Alian's role with the team is, Robinson says, "He is a guy who is willing to sacrifice the limelight for the success of his teammates. If you are looking for a player who is willing to give his power away for the good of others, that's Ethan. That is the value he brings that impressed me the most."

Topex adds, "Despite it all, he is still a team player and you want that from your point guard. He still chose to make others look good. That's what a leader is."

As for Melencio, he says, "I was surprised and impressed with the way he grew and improved. His scoring and rebounding show his potential and his dedication to growing into his craft. Hindi naman yun chamba dahil ginawa niya talaga yun and that's the result of his sacrifice for his growth."

In addition, Vhoris Marasigan was present as well, reaffirming his and excitement and commitment to the Green Archers, where he will reunite with his former teammate in the University of the East, CJ Austria.

After sitting out his final eligible season with San Beda, the 6'2 shooting guard impressed in his stint with Batang Tiaong at the NBTC National Finals, where he averaged 16.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.

Robinson says, "Yung path naman ni Vhoris is different. He took one step back but two steps forward. He didn't play in the NCAA in his last year but he was able to prove his worth in the NBTC." He adds, "He showed what he can do despite playing hurt. It showed his true character. It's a blessing to have a player that has that kind of mindset."

They join Jonnel Policarpio, Isaiah Phillips, and Matthew Rubico as recent newcomers to the Green Archers basketball program.

"It's always nice to have players that want to play for you. Yun yung malaking bagay dun -- they really want to play and get a degree in La Salle," said Robinson.

Initial SEAG pool for Gilas, Gilas Women, 3x3 revealed

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas submitted its initial pool of players for participation at the upcoming 32nd edition of the SEA Games this coming May in Cambodia.

SBP President Al Panlilio shares, "That moment is upon us, and we’re not leaving any stone unturned in our overall bid to regain basketball glory in our region."

He adds, "“What we’ve gone through after that fateful day in Hanoi, both the wins and the losses in the
various tournaments that followed, are, in effect, geared also toward bringing the SEA Games
gold medal back to our shores. And once Gilas assembles and starts practice for the competition in Cambodia, I expect nothing else but 100 percent effort and serious resolve in sending the most competitive national team possible to do the job of winning back the Gold. That is our commitment to our basketball-loving countrymen."

Leading the 28 players called up for 5x5 action with Gilas Pilipinas are six-time PBA Most Valuable Player JuneMar Fajardo, and recent national team debutant Justin Brownlee.

Japeth Aguilar (Barangay Ginebra)
Kevin Louie Alas (NLEX)
Raymond Almazan (Meralco)
Mason Francis Amos (incoming Ateneo)
Norman Aaron Black (Meralco)
Justin Brownlee (Ginebra)
Ariel John Edu (Toledo)
John Paul Erram (TNT)
June Mar Fajardo (San Miguel)
Jeremiah Gray (Ginebra)
Marcio Lassiter (San Miguel)
Jerom Lastimosa (Adamson)
Jamie Malonzo (Ginebra)
Chris Newsome (Meralco)
Calvin John Oftana (TNT)
CJ Perez (San Miguel)
Benjamin Phillips III (La Salle)
Michael Phillips (La Salle)
Roger Pogoy (TNT)
Stanley Pringle Jr (Ginebra)
Karl Kevin Quiambao (La Salle)
Chris Ross (San Miguel)
Brandon Rosser (NLEX)
Christian Standhardinger (Ginebra)
Earl Scottie Thompson (Ginebra)
Arvin Tolentino (Northport)
Michael Williams (TNT)
Deschon Winston (unattached)

Notable new additions include the Philips brothers of DLSU and AJ Edu of Toledo.

Seeking a third straight gold medal, 25 names comprise the initial pool that head coach Pat Aquino will select for the Gilas Women, led by a group of National University Lady Bulldogs, both current and alumnae, including the likes of Afril Bernardino, Jack Animam, Mikka Cacho, and Camille Clarin.

Jack Danielle Animam
Afril Bernardino
Stefanie Ann Berberabe
Katelyn Bobadilla
France Mae Cabinbin
Mikka Cacho
Ana Alicia Katrina Castillo
Clare Castro
Kristine Cayabyab
Camille Izabel Clarin
Monique Del Carmen
Kacey Dela Rosa
Ella Patrice Fajardo
Aurea Day Marie Gingras
Katrina Guytingco
Mai Loni Lashae’ Henson
Jhazmin Joson
Kennan Elizabeth Ka
Louna Ozar
Karl Ann Pingol
Janine Pontejos
Sofia Isabella Roman
Angelica Marie Surada
Marizze Andrea Tongco
Kristan Geyl Yumul

In addition, there is also an inclusion of youth standouts, led by Fairleigh Dickinson reserve Ella Fajardo, Long Beach State's Kennan Ka, and George Washington's Aurea Gingras, as well as recent U18 callups Kate Bobadilla, Louna Ozar, and Kristan Yumul.

As for 3x3, Ange Kouame returns to the scene to be the lone callup not currently playing in the PBA 3x3 scene. The Ateneo big man has 3x3 experience after helping Ateneo win the competition in UAAP Season 81 back in 2019.

The cast includes the quartet set for participation in the upcoming FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup slated this week in Singapore: Brandon Bates, Samboy de Leon, Jorey Napoles, and Almond Vosotros.

Brandon Matthew Bates
Alfred Ryan Batino
Rodel Samboy De Leon
Joseph Emmanuel Eriobu
Lervin Flores
Kakou Ange Frank Kouame
Jeffrey Manday
Jorey Napoles
Joseph Sedurifa
Almond Vosotros

The men's 3x3 team will be helmed by Lester del Rosario, and is seeking to reclaim the gold after settling for bronze last year.

Aquino opted to go within the 5x5 pool for the women's 3x3 field, which also includes the quartet set for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup participation in Bernardino, Castillo, Castro, and Pontejos. They are looking to secure another medal after falling short last time.

Jack Danielle Animam
Afril Bernardino
Ana Alicia Katrina Castillo
Clare Castro
Kristine Cayabyab
Quinn Kacey Dela Rosa
Mai Loni Leshae’ Henson
Janine Pontejos

Castllo, dela Rosa, and Pontejos comprised three members of the Lady Macbeth Riots that claimed the inaugural Manila Hustle 3x3 competition held back in February at Robinson's Magnolia, alongside Guytingco.

Lyceum snags maiden postseason volleyball win

c/o NCAA

Games Wednesday at Filoil EcoOil Centre

12 noon – Arellano vs San Beda (Men)
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs LPU (Women)

Lyceum survived a four-set duel against Mapua, 25-18 25-23 29-31 26-24, to advance in the stepladder playoff Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Zonxi Dahab's go-ahead kill, followed by her third service ace clinched the win for the Lady Pirates, who were making their postseason debut in the event.

Head coach Cromwel Garcia shares, "Actually sobrang laking bagay sa amin kasi sabi nga, nagkaroon na kami ng way. Nabigyan kami ng way na we can...na kaya naming pumasok ng Final Four." He adds, "I think ito na parang ang umpisa ng tuloy-tuloy na progress ng sports development sa amin. Malaking bagay talaga especially sa buong LPU community kasi these girls, na nagpakahirap na nandito na sa biggest stage."

Joan Doguna led the team with 22 points, while Johna Dolorito added fourteen points, nine digs, and eleven receptions. Dahab would finish with thirteen points. Jaja Tulang was the other Lady Pirate in double figures with ten.

Mapua rode on their newcomer Roxie dela Cruz and her twenty points and thirteen digs. Tere Manalo contributed fifteen for the Lady Cardinals.

Earlier, San Beda secured their semifinal berth by defeating Emilio Aguinaldo College in their stepladder playoff, 25-22 25-27 25-16 26-24.

Ralph Cabalsa led the Red Spikers with 24 points, including four blocks, while Kenrod Umali added thirteen points and fourteen receptions.

Leading the Generals in defeat was Joshua Ramilo with his thirteen points and fourteen receptions. while Marvin Romero netted eleven markers.

Action resumes with the semifinal matches on Wednesday at the same venue, with Arellano facing San Beda in the men's division, followed by Perpetual facing Lyceum.

Stepladder set for NCAA volleyball

Games Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre

12 noon – EAC vs San Beda (Men)
2 p.m. – Lyceum vs Mapua (Women)

The postseason for the NCAA Season 98 volleyball tournament is set to commence Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, with Lyceum and Mapua making their Final Four debuts, the former for the first time since joining the league in 2011, and the latter since they revived the program back in 2009.

The Lady Pirates and the Lady Cardinals will square off in the second game of the double-header at 2pm, with the winner facing the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta on Wednesday in a one-game semifinal at the same venue. Both teams finished the season with a 6-3 record.

Their lone meeting in the regular season took place last February 21, when Lyceum survived a five set marathon, 25-20 16-25 21-25 25-22 15-5.

Before that, the men take to the taraflex, with Emilio Aguinaldo College facing San Beda at noon.

Both finished the season at 6-3, but the Generals survived a five-set marathon against the Red Spikers in the previous meeting, 26-24 25-20 25-27 17-25 15-10.

The winner will face off against Arellano in a one-game semifinal, also on Wednesday.

The stepladder format was invoked due to elimination round 9-0 sweeps by the Altas in the men's division and the College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers in the women's division, with the best-of-three finals scheduled to take place after the Holy Week break.

All matches will be broadcast LIVE on GTV and streamed on the Facebook and YouTube accounts of GMA Sports and NCAA Philippines.

Former ASEAN internationals set to participate in TST

Far East United is set to be one of 32 teams participating in the $1M winner-take-all The Soccer Tournament, or TST.

A sister competition to the much-successful The Basketball Tournament, TST is slated to take place on June 1-4 at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, aiming to be the defining tournament for seven-a-side football worldwide.

Adopting the current World Cup format for 32 teams, twenty of which have already confirmed their participation. This includes the likes of established clubs like Welsh side Wrexham, Premiership side Wolves, MLS's Charlotte FC, and Liga MX's Club Necaxa.

A few of the teams have celebrities as their figureheads, like mixed martial arts royalty's Gracie family with Gracie FC. And soccer legends are a plenty with Clint Dempsey's Team Dempsey. Jimmy Conrad and Demarcus Beasley's Conrad and Beasley United, Heather O'Reilly's US Women, AJ Dela Garza's Zala FFF, and Far East United.

An initiative brought about the 7s Football League boss Anton del Rosario, Far East United brings together a few of the best players from across the region to be a part of the inaugural TST.

This is led by del Rosario's fellow former Philippines internationals Stephan Schroeck and Roland Mueller, both of which have made recent headlines by their recent coaching call-ups to the Azkals for the ongoing friendlies inside this month's window. They have also tapped regional foes in former Indonesian international Greg Nwokolo and Thai legend Charyl Chappuis.

Filipino fans will also recognize Jason Cunliffe, the former Guam international who previously played in the United Football League's Pachanga Diliman.

Far East United's build-up will ratchet up in the next couple of months, as the days come closer to the start of the competition.

Philippines reaches best-ever FIFA ranking for women

The Philippines continues its ascent in the latest FIFA rankings for women's football, with the results being unveiled on Friday.

The country moved up four spots to 49th overall after playing five matches, winning two friendlies against Papua New Guinea in Australia, as well as their participating in the Pinatar Cup in Spain.

With a total of 1496.23, it was an increase of 10.73 from the last edition back in December. The total is just 7.21 points behind Paraguay. It puts the side in ninth in the region and fifth in the AFF.

In a brief statement, the Philippine Football Federation says.

The Philippine Football Federation is proud of the achievement of the Philippine Women’s National Team, which recorded its highest FIFA ranking of No. 49 earlier today 24 March 2023.

It is a historic achievement that underlines the importance of collaboration between the PFF, team management and coaching staff, and the dedication, discipline and sacrifice of the players.

Indeed, the rise of the Filipinas shows that belief, professionalism, structure, organization and technical knowledge and commitment of players can lead us into the right direction.

We thank team manager Jefferson Cheng for his support to the team, and for joining hands with the federation to ensure that planned directions of the team are pursued with vigor. We also acknowledge the efforts of coach Alen Stajcic, and the Filipino coaches that come before him, in steering the team to great heights. Most of all, we are grateful for our national team players who, time and again, have shown their love for our country by representing the Philippines with pride and honor each time they step into the pitch. Indeed, plenty of the work is done behind the scenes – at planning sessions, in camps, and days and hours before matches – and we thank those who have quietly sacrificed their time and effort to ensure that the team continues its progress.

We hope that the rest of the country, specially the sporting youth, takes inspiration from the Filipinas and their achievements. These are exciting times and the PFF prays that the Filipino nation continue supporting the Filipinas at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July 2023.

When asked about his thoughts, head coach Alen Stajcic shares, "Another amazing milestone for the Team on this journey to the World Cup. Another record for the country and further objective confirmation that we are heading in the right direction."

Bullpups retain NBTC Division 1 title

RJ Colonia

NU Nazareth School retained its Division 1 title by defeating Fil-Nation Select, 75-64 on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena, capping off a frenetic few days of the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals.

Less than 24 hours after a double-overtime classic against Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, the Bullpups opened the game by allowing their US-based opposition to score the first ten points. They managed to settle themselves down and made it a neck-and-neck battle until they took over in the final period.

Buckets from Pervy Timbang and RJ Colonia allowed NUNS to take the lead for good at 67-63 with 2:40 left. That would eventually turn into a 12-1 run to claim third straight title.

Kevin de Castro shares, "We did not even think that this would be our fourth [title.] I just told the boys to treat this game like Gilas vs. USA. That was the fire that I used for them to get going in this game."

He adds, "We’re blessed because somehow, we have a player like Reinhard who can lead the team. We went through defeats in the UAAP, we got one here in the NBTC and hopefully, he brings it to college."

Jumamoy, who was named as the Division 1 Ato Badolato Most Outstanding Player, finished with a triple-double with sixteen points, fifteen rebounds, and ten assists. He also added five steals in the victory.

Colonia contributed 23 points and ten rebounds, while Kurt Perciano added ten markers.

Jason Mandaquit Jr led Fil-Nation Select with sixteen points and six rebounds while Jacob Bayla adding thirteen points and ten rebounds.

Jumamoy, Colonia, and Mandaquit are joined by the Magis Eagles duo of Jared Bahay and Raffy Celis as they comprise the Mythical Team.

For Division 2, Earl Sapasap of champions Team Tarlac was named as the Ato Badolato MOP. He is joined on the Mythical Team by Matthew Jucom of Don Bosco-Dumaguete, Lebron Nieto of Ateneo, Kaden Puletua of Homegrown Australia, and Sean Bondoc of Doc Boleros.

The NBTC National Finals is backed by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App by NBN23, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Mr. Freeze, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Team Tarlac claims NBTC Division 2 title

The Division 2 final of the 2023 SMART-NBTC National saw Team Tarlac pull off a come-from-behind 86-84 victory over Royal Trading Star-Don Bosco-Dumaguete on Sunday afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Negrense side led by as much as twenty in the first half, before Team Tarlac took over in the final twenty minutes to become the first champion that is a non-school entrant in the competition.

Head coach Julius dela Vega shares, "This is a big thing for us, our province, and all provincial teams. We've shown we can compete."

Earl Sapasap sparked a 6-1 run that turned a 76-77 deficit into a 82-78 advantage with 2:56 remaining, but the Greywolves hung on until a Kit Bonus bucket made its 86-82 with 42 seconds remaining. Bonus would finish with 21 points, four rebounds, five steals, and three blocks.

Providing additional support for Team Tarlac are RJ Liwanag's eighteen points, with Jahmir Adrian Eligado contributing sixteen.

Matthew Jucom led Don Bosco with 25 points, but managed just five markers in the second half. MJ Hendric Vailoces netted sixteen points, while Jay Stephen Garupil chipped in fifteen of his own. Also tallying in double figures are John Mycco Deposoy and Cary Bruce Aure with ten apiece in a losing effort.

Team Tarlac joins fellow Division 2 champions La Salle-Lipa, Assumption Montessori School, and St. Augustine Institute.

The NBTC National Finals is backed by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App by NBN23, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Mr. Freeze, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Sean Alter commits to UP

c/o UP MBT

Fresh from securing the commitments of Luis Pablo, Seven Gagate, and Josh Coronel, the University of the Philippines locked in its commitment with Sean Alter on Sunday.

Alter was averaging 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists for Fil-Nation Select in the ongoing NBTC National Finals.

Program Director Bo Perasol shares about the New Mexico native's commitment, "Sean's another important piece to the puzzle for us to keep competing in the UAAP."

The nineteen-year-old will not need residency and joins a loaded frontcourt that includes Season 85 Most Valuable Player Malick Diouf, the aforementioned trio from La Salle-Greenhills, Gilas Youth standout Francis Lopez, and the returning CJ Cansino.

The Fighting Maroons are seeking to win their second title in three seasons under the leadership of Goldwin Monteverde, and are ready to bounce back after falling short earlier this year against the Ateneo de Manila University,

SJ Moore, Team Hustle claim NBTC All-Star Game nod

Team Hustle and Team Heart

The future of Philippine basketball showed about at the Under Armour-NBTC All-Star Game, which made its return for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement.

Team Hustle emerged as 108-91 winners over Team Heart at the Mall of Asia Arena, with SJ Moore named as the Most Outstanding Player.

The Arellano standout scored nineteen points in the showpiece event of the biggest grassroots tournament in the country, which is backed by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten.

Ranked 15th in the NBTC 24, Moore shared about the experience, "For me, it was about being the top player among the 24 best."

He adds, "Especially, getting a chance a play with all the best NCAA's juniors (players), I'm lucky to be chosen to be the best player."

Moore scored ten points in the first quarter for Cholo Villanueva-coached Team Hustle, as they asserted themselves early on. They would extend that advantage into the second period, erecting a 55-39 halftime lead.

The lead would balloon to as much as 25 points late in the third period, 86-61. Team Heart would manage to reduce the deficit to as low as twelve with 80 seconds remaining at 100-88, but time ran out for the comeback attempt.

Kieffer Alas of La Salle-Zobel added fourteen markers, with Andy Gemao of Letran adding thirteen of his own.

Villanueva added about the NBTC All-Star Game experience, "For me it's a great experience being a coach. You want to be honing the next generation of basketball players and being a part of this event is really a privilege for me."

Chris Hubilla of San Beda led the Ty Tang-coached Team Heart with 27 points.

In the side events, Lorence dela Cruz of Winnipeg edged out Caelum Harris of Fil-Nation Select for the Slam Dunk crown, with the 5'9" guard nailing a one-handed windmill off a bounce pass, impressing the three-man panel of Mikey Williams, Glenn Khobuntin, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

He then would put it on ice with a two-handed 360.

John Rex Villanueva of Batang Tiaong claimed the Three-Point Shootout, converting fifteen from deep and besting Kobe Chong of Saint Jude Catholic School, who could only manage eleven.

In the Skills Challenge, Kristian Porter beat out Vhoris Marasign in the final, finishing the course at 22.2 seconds.

The NBTC National Finals is supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App by NBN23, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Mr. Freeze, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Fil-Nation Select claims Girls Have Next title

Fil-Nation Select USA made history on Sunday, as they claimed the inaugural Girls Have Next powered by Fil-Nation Select at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The US-based squad held off NU Nazareth for the crown, 63-54, with Harvard-commit Nina Emnace scoring a team-high seventeen points.

The Lady Bullpups did manage to make things interesting, with Cielo Pagdulagan's back-to-back buckets allowing them to retake the lead at 43-41 after trailing by eight at the half.

However, the lead was short-lived as an Emnace triple allowed Fil-Nation Select to retake the lead.

NUNS had a final chance to contest this one after Rachelle Mendoza cut the deficit to 58-52 with 4:32 left, but Fil-Nation Select had an answer, capped off by an Isabella de Jesus triple with 2:32 left to make it a nine-point lead.

Head coach Roger Mantua shared afterwards, "I believe that was a well-earned win. The girls were just playing hard (and) stayed disciplined. There were a few lapses, but I think the girls were able to overcome that. They overcame the obstacles and we can see the results. They played together as a team."

The NBTC National Finals is sponsored by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App by NBN23, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Mr. Freeze, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Currently ongoing is the NBTC All-Star Game and its corresponding side events, with the finals of Division 2 and 1 also set to take place, with basketball fans able to watch via Facebook through the NBTC, SMART Sports, and Puso Pilipinas pages.

Bullpups back in NBTC National Finals

Jared Bahay and Reinhard Jumamoy

The three-peat is still alive at the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals presented by SM.

NU Nazareth School kept their title hopes flickering after surviving a 91-90 double overtime classic against Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Landmasters on Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

RJ Colonia capped off his 29-point outburst through free throws with 5.9 seconds to provide some breathing room for the Bullpups. Elijah Yusi provided additional support with 21 points.

Head coach Kevin de Castro shared after the game, "Sabi ko lang sa boys kapit at kaya namin ito. Ito yung character-building win na hinahanap namin kaya sabi lang namin, walang bibitaw."

In a matchup between two of the best high school guards in the country, Reinhard Jumamoy and Jared Bahay put out a show.

The UAAP HS MVP finished with 23 points, twelve rebounds, eight assists, and six steals. The CESAFI Juniors MVP, on the other hand, finished with 23 points, including a triple to close out scoring in the second extension. The top player in the NBTC 24 also added five assists, and four rebounds.

Also producing for the Magis Eagles are Michael Asoro and his 27 points, including a corner three that forced the first overtime. He also added six rebounds. Fellow NBTC All-Star Raffy Celis secured a double-double with sixteen points and ten boards.

NUNS will face off against Fil-Nation Select in the Division 1 final, after the US-based squad dispatched UST, 74-66.

An 8-3 finishing run  capped by a Sean Alter slam provided the necessary breathing room, as they became the first overseas-based team to make the final of the biggest grassroots basketball tournament in the country.

Caelum Harris tacked on twelve points and three rebounds, while Jacob Bayla contributed eleven points and three boards.

Mark Llemit led the Tiger Cubs with 27 points, four rebounds, a couple of assists, and four steals. He also converted four of his five triples in this one.

The NUNS vs Fil-Nation Select matchup will take place at 5pm and will cap off activities at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.

Starting things off is the 9am final of the Girls Have Next, also featuring Fil-Nation Select and NUNS, with the NBTC All-Star Game and its side events at noon. The Division 2 final between Team Tarlac and Royal Star Trading-Don Bosco Dumaguete is at 3pm.

Action on that day will be streamed on the Facebook pages of the NBTC, SMART Sports, and Puso Pilipinas.

The NBTC National Finals is sponsored by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App by NBN23, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Mr. Freeze, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Janrey Pasaol stays at FEU

Far Eastern University has secured the commitment of Janrey Pasaol on Saturday, as the guard will remain a Tamaraw from high school to college.

On making the commitment, the 5'11 guard says, "Pinili kong mag-stay sa FEU kasi sobra-sobra ang pasasalamat ko sa kanila sa laking tulong nila sa'kin, 'di lang sa basketball, kundi sa buhay pa. Thankful din ako kasi ito yung school na pinapangarap ng iba at nabigyan ako ng chance na makapag-aral at makapaglaro rito."

JR averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.4 steals for the Baby Tamaraws, who clinched the UAAP Season 85 high school basketball title over Adamson in the finals. The younger brother of current Meralco Bolt and UAAP fan favorite Alvin also was named into the league's Mythical Team.

Pasaol will be the next in the long line of talented ballhandlers wearing the green and gold, which includes Denok Miranda, assistant coach Johnny Abarrientos, RR Garcia, Terrence Romeo, RJ Abarrientos, and incumbent L-Jay Gonzales.

The 18-year old's scoring prowess, combined with a court general's court vision allowing him to set up his teammates will come in handy for a Tamaraws squad fresh from missing out on the Final Four for the first time in eight seasons.

Miranda, who was named as FEU's new head coach, says about his newest prospect, "Malaki matutulong niya sa team, lalo na alam na niya yung system ko."

Mandaquit, seven others named to Under Armour NBTC All-Star Game

Jason Mandaquit

Jason Mandaquit of Fil-Nation Select leads the late additions for the 2023 Under Armour-NBTC All-Star Game scheduled for Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Mandaquit averaged twenty points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists to lead the US-based's campaign in the NBTC National Finals, and he will join teammate Jacob Bayla in the Ty Tang-coached Team Heart alongside fellow late additions Michael Asoro of SHS-Ateneo de Cebu and Vhoris Marasigan of Batang Tiaong.

Caelum Harris, on the other hand, will be a part of the Cholo Villanueva-coached Team Hustle, which also has tapped Lorence dela Cruz of Winnipeg, Devin Fikes of Toronto, and John Mowell Morales of Batang Tiaong.

For the side events, freshly-crowned NCAA champion Andy Gemao, Arwin Alforque, and George Diamante will face off against Harris and dela Cruz in the Slam Dunk Contest. There will also be a three-point shootout and Skills Challenge, with the field still to be determined.

All of the Sunday festivities will be shown via streaming through the Facebook pages of NBTC, SMART Sports, Puso Pilipinas.

Both division finals will follow the All-Star Game, with the matchup for Division 2 already confirmed.

Team Tarlac pulled off the 86-77 victory against Ateneo, behind the duo of RJ Liwanag and Earl Sapasap. The former led the way with twenty points, four assists, and four steals, while the latter stuffed the stat sheet with twelve points, nine rebounds, nine assists, and seven steals.

Tarlac uncorked a 38-point second quarter before cruising their way in the second half, as they await Don Bosco-Dumaguete, which emerged as 82-58 winners over Homegrown Australia. Matthew Jucom led the way for the Greywolves with twenty points, four rebounds, a couple of assists and a couple of steals.

John Deposoy added fifteen points, three assists, and three steals, as Don Bosco opened the game with a 20-7 run and never looked back.

The Division 1 final will take place afterwards, with the winner of Fil-Nation Select and UST going up against the winner of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and National University Nazareth School. The two games are set to completed Saturday night.

Opening things up on Sunday is the inaugural Girls Have Next tournament final between Fil-Nation Select and NUNS. The two squads emerged out of the round robin matches that took place at the Pretty Huge facility in Taguig.

The NBTC National Finals is backed by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., Maynilad, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App by NBN23, Victory Liner, Jasper Jean, Darlington, Exped, Mr. Freeze, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Jared Bahay, Reinhard Jumamoy set for Fearless Four face off

The two best high school guards in the country are set for a duel, as Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and NU Nazareth School won their respective matches to set up one of the two semifinal matches at the 2023 SMART NBTC National Finals presented by SM.

Backed by Landmasters, the CESAFI champions torched Mapua-Malayan from beyond the arc on their way to a 90-75 victory, as they creep closer for a chance to claim their third title in the tournament.

Jared Bahay nailed eight triples to finish with 31 points, as the Magis Eagles finished with 14/26 shooting from beyond the arc. He shared afterwards, "I'm just thankful. I just asked for guidance from Him to be able to play this game. It's sweet to help our team return to the Fearless Four."

Michael Asoro added twenty points on five triples, with Raffy Celis contributing a double-double with seventeen points and ten rebounds.

The defending champions are not far behind, as they blew out Pampanga Delta, 94-52, with Reinhard Jumamoy falling a steal short of a quadruple-doubl with 27 points, ten rebounds, twelve assists, and nine steals.

The NBTC All-Star shared post-match, "I just trusted my teammates. We did not expect this big win, but we just stuck to our game plan and we were able to stop Rhyle [Melencio]."

The other semifinal will have Fil-Nation Select going up against the University of Santo Tomas.

The former ended the Cinderella run of Batang Tiaong with a 91-79 beatdown, with Jason Mandaquit erupting for 31 points. Dasean Brodie added seventeen markers and six rebounds. Gilas Youth standout Caelum Harris also added twelve and six.

Vhoris Marasigan led the Quezon LQT champions with 31 points.

The latter squeaked past Toronto, 66-65, as Charles Bucsit made two out of three free throws with 0.5 seconds left after he was fouled by Kobe Tablate. He would finish with sixteen points in the win.

The Canadian side had been set to take that spot after a Michael Ramos triple with 5.8 seconds remaining before the foul call that set up the ending for the Tiger Cubs.

Arjay Pantaleon and James Jumao-as each added twelve points.

The Division 1 semifinals will start with Fil-Nation Select and UST at 5pm, followed by SHS-AdC against NUNS at 630pm. All games scheduled that day will be streamed online through the Facebook pages of the NBTC, SMART Sports, and Puso Pilipinas.

The NBTC National Finals isbacked by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., 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.

Ateneo leads Fearless Four cast in Div 2

Kris Porter

Ateneo secured their spot at the Division 2 Fearless Four on Friday, holding on to 74-65 win over Doc Boleros in the last day of Magic 12 action at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Kristian Porter contributed sixteen points, seven rebounds and a couple of steals, while Lebron Nieto netted twelve points, six steals, and a couple of assists and rebounds to help tow the Blue Eagles atop Pool D.

Porter shared after the game, "The first game, we used that as our motivation. After that, we gathered ourselves and played better, played as we should."

After suffering a shock upset against Batang Tiaong on Wednesday, Ateneo will face Team Tarlac on Saturday in the semifinals, as the latter routed Saint Benilde International School-Calamba, 78-60.

Earl Sapasap contributed a near double-double with 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals, with Roby Gesultura and Russel Liwanag combining for 24 markers.

Sapasap shared about their upcoming semifinal, "Magandang match-up po yun sa'min kasi makaka-experience kaming makalaban ang mga player ng UAAP."

The other semifinal will feature Don Bosco-Dumaguete against Homegrown Australia.

The former easily dispatched Rome Elite, 95-58, with CJ Umali leading the Greywolves with 23 points, four assists, and three steals.

The latter escaped with 75-72 win over PCU-Dasmarinas, with Kaden Puletua leading the way through his 23 points and ten rebounds.

The NBTC Nationals is backed by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., 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.

NUNS, Pampanga Delta skate through opening NBTC Magic 12 matches

RJ Colonia

National University School and Pampanga Delta are headed to a collision course for a semifinal spot at the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals after taking care of business on Thursday against Level Up Team Abro at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Pampanga blew out the Davao-based squad first, 94-63, behind a forty-point outburst from Rhyle Melencio. The Zobel standout outscored Level Up by himself in the first half, 28-27, while also amassing twelve rebounds, a couple of assists and rejections. He shared afterwards, "Siyempre, Division 1 kasi kami, so ayoko lang mapahiya. Kaya sadyang kumpyansa kaming lahat. Sabi ni coach sa akin, wag daw akong mahiya, wag daw akong matakot."

Providing backup for Melencio is Joaquin Andrei de Leon with twelve points, while Doys Dungo and Michell Reyno each contributed ten markers.

The Bullpups followed suit with an 89-71 victory, starting off by scoring the game's first seven points and never looked back.

Reinhard Jumamoy contributed twenty points, ten rebounds, and four assists to lead the defending champions, with Macmac Infanta and Jedric Solomon providing backup with fifteen and ten, respectively.

The Cebu native shares about their upcoming matchup against Pampanga, "Malakas na team sila kaya paghahandaan namin sila bukas. Susundin lang namin yung game plan nina coach kasi alam naman naming 'di sila basta-basta."

Melencio adds, "Nakalaban ko na NU sa UAAP at saka sa preseason, 'di pa ako nananalo sa kanila, so gagawin ko lahat para manalo kami."

The Division 1 Pool A matchup highlights the second day of Magic 12 matches for Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Only the top team in each pool on both divisions will advance to the semifinals on Saturday.

In Pool D, Fil-Nation Select and Batang Tiaong set up their duel for the lone semifinal spot after dispatching Pinoy Mavs.

The US-based squad pounded their New Zealand counterparts, 93-61. Jason Mandaquit led the way with fifteen points.

Fresh from stunning Ateneo in the Super 24, the Quezon LQT champions followed suit with their own 67-53 win. La Salle commit Vhoris Marasigan nailed three triples on his way to nineteen points, while also adding five rebounds and a couple of assists.

SHS-Ateneo de Cebu and Mapua-Malayan will dispute Pool C's berth after taking care of Winnipeg. The Magis Eagles blew out the Canadians, 100-79, while the Red Robins eked out an 81-77 squeaker.

As for Pool B, UST and Toronto will fight for the available spot in light of their 77-47 and 70-63 respective results against Dubai Patriots.

In Division 2, Don Bosco Dumaguete held on to a 98-91 victory over Team United, led by 34 points for Matthew Jucom. He also added five rebounds and a couple of steals for the Grey Wolves.

Team United did manage to defeat Rome Elite, 85-53 to keep its semifinal hopes alive.

Ateneo and Doc Boleros dispatched Holy Trinity College in contrasting fashion to earn a spot in the semifinals. The Blue Eagles blew the General Santos squad, 77-58, through quality performances from Lebron Nieto (21 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals) and Kris Porter (nineteen points and eleven rebounds). Sean Bondoc led the latter with 31 points to help tow them to a 66-61 victory.

The remaining Division 2 matches saw the University of Luzon get beat up by Homegrown Australia (96-75) and PCU-Dasmarinas (104-71), and the University of Batangas drop their assignments against Team Tarlac (96-56) and the Saint Benilde International School-Calamba (79-78).

The final set of Magic 12 pool matches will be played on Friday, and will be streamed on the Facebook pages of the NBTC, SMART Sports, and Puso Pilipinas.

The National Finals is backed by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten, and is also supported by Tecno, Regent, Rebisco, Jollibee, San Miguel Corp., 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.

Fil-Nation Select impress in SMART-NBTC National Finals debut

Fil-Nation Select

Fil-Nation Select kicks off its campaign in the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals on Wednesday with an impressive 116-60 demolition of Doc Boleros at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Super 24 matchup saw Jacob Bayla and Jason Mandaquit Jr combine for 31 points to tow the US-based squad onto Division 1, while sending their opponents to Division 2.

Defending champions National University Nazareth School kicked off its title defense with a 93-68 rout of PCU-Dasmarinas, with Reinhard Jumamoy showing why he is the third-best player in the NBTC 24 after stuffing the stat sheet with seventeen points, ten rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Also securing a bid into the next round are Mapua-Malayan, as the Red Robins of the NCAA defeated Royal Star Trading-Don Bosco Dumaguete, 92-85. Jonalance Masiglat showed out with 21 points on 82 percent shooting.

The stunner of the afternoon session is Batang Tiaong's 64-41 victory over Ateneo, as John Rex Villanueva nailed seven triples on his way to 21 points. John Mowell Morales added sixteen points and seven boards for the Quezon local qualifying tournament champions.

Overseas squads Pinoy Mavs and Dubai Patriots squeaked past their LQT opposition, with the former from New Zealand dispatching Holy Trinity College, 83-79, behind Val Mercado's twenty points and Andre Salomon's double-double of thirteen points and fourteen rebounds. The latter from the Middle East nipped the University of Batangas, 66-65. Joseph Degullado contributed a couple of triples on his way to eleven markers.

Davao-based Level Up Team Abro blew out the University of Luzon, 111-74, with six players contributing in double figures: Ping Xian-Yee's sixteen, Robert Morado II's fifteen, Daryl Acero and Patrick Torejas' fourteen, Norman Cagampang's twelve, and Karlo Estomo's ten.

In the nightcap, Pampanga Delta survives Homegrown Australia, 84-81. Rhyle Melecio, who is coming off an impressive season for La Salle-Zobel in the UAAP, finished with 24 points and ten rebounds. Kaden Puletua added eighteen points and nine rebounds.

The Magic 12 matches start tomorrow for both divisions, with the games set to be streamed on 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.

Letran hopes to clinch NCAA HS title

Game Thursday at the San Andres Sports Complex

2:30 p.m. – La Salle-Greenhills vs Letran

Letran hopes to end a 22-year title drought in the high school basketball scene, as they face off on Thursday afternoon for Game 2 of the NCAA Season 98 finals at the San Andres Sports Complex.

The Squires defeated La Salle-Greenhills in Game 1, 85-81, behind the efforts of Syrex Silorio and Andy Gemao.

The latter shared to the media after the game, "Masaya kami pero hindi pa tapos ang championship. Marami po kaming lessons na napulot sa laro ngayon.  Tulad po ng kung paano po kami maging composed sa maraming crowd kasi lahat po kami rookie."

Silorio had a career day against the Greenies with 27 points and seven rebounds while also battling the NBTC All-Star duo of Luis Pablo and Seven Gagate. Gemao contributed a double-double for the cause with 21 points and fourteen rebounds. Also an NBTC All-Star, the guard added five assists and three steals.

When asked about what lies ahead for this one, Andy says, "Inaabangan ko po talaga yung twin towers po. Siguro po may gagawin silang adjustments.  Nasa amin na din po iyon kung paano namin hihigpitan yung depensa namin."

LSGH is hoping to channel its survival instinct much like in their semifinal encounter against San Beda, overcoming a twice-to-beat disadvantage to emerge victorious.

Game 2 will be aired LIVE on GTV and also streamed through the NCAA's social media platforms. The third and deciding game, if necessary, will take place on Monday, same time and venue.

SHS-Ateneo de Cebu, UST earn Div 1 slots

Raffy Celis

Slots in either Division 1 or 2 of the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals presented by SM were handed out on Wednesday via the Super 24 matches.

The first batches came in the morning session, led by Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, which served as the tournament opener against European side Rome Elite.

The CESAFI HS champions pounded their international opposition to a 99-54 blowout at the Mall of Asia Arena, led by Raffy Celis.

The NBTC All-Star netted eleven points and nine rebounds, demonstrating their dominance with a 54-27 disparity on the glass. He shared to the media after the game, "We just executed and we did what we practiced."

Jelomar Rota also added eleven points for the Magis Eagles, while top-ranked HS player Jared Bahay finished with seven points, three rebounds, five assists, and four steals.

Canadian teams booked their spot in Division 1 as well, with Winnipeg slipping past Team United USA, 86-72 and Toronto routing St. Benilde International School of Calamba, 83-63. Lorence dela Cruz contributed 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists for Winnipeg, while Gabriel Obusan netted eighteen, nine, and five for Toronto.

The University of Santo Tomas also snapped up a Division 1 berth with a 66-62 win over Team Tarlac, behind Mark Llemit's thirteen points. James Jumao-as provided additional offensive spark alongside the NBTC All-Star with twelve markers himself.

Losing teams in the Super 24 matches are designated to Division 2. Both divisions are comprised of four groups of three teams, with the round robin matches taking place in the next couple of days. Top teams will then move into the semifinals, with the final taking place on Sunday.

Games in the next few days will be streamed online through the Facebook pages of the NBTC, SMART Sports, and Puso Pilipinas.

The 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals is powered by SMART, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten. It is also 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.

NBTC National Finals set to commence

The Bullpups are ready for the NBTC

Even if they fell short of their quest to defend their UAAP HS boys basketball title, NU Nazareth School still has another goal left to be checked.

The Bullpups have three-peat aspirations with the start of the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals presented by SM on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Led by NBTC 24's third-ranked player Rein Jumamoy, and helmed by Kevin de Castro, NUNS earned the top-seed amongst the field, one that includes fellow UAAP schools UST and Ateneo, as well as NCAA representative Mapua-Malayan.

Completing the field are eight international teams and twelve squads who survived the various local qualifying tournaments held across the country.

Day 1 centers on the Super 24, as it will determine which twelve teams will be either on Division 1 or Division 2.

NUNS is paired with PCU-Dasmarinas, who topped the Cavite local qualifying tournament, and will cap off action at the E-Com Center at 430pm.

Opening action at the Mall of Asia Arena is CESAFI champion Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, led by the top-ranked player in the NBTC 24 in Jared Bahay, as they face Euro side Rome Elite at 9am.

Other notable Super 24 matchups sees Pampanga Delta go up against Homegrown Australia at 430pm, as well as Team United USA against Canadian side Winnipeg at 9am in E-Com.

Potential contenders Fil-Nation Select will rely on Gilas Youth standouts Caelum Harris, Jacob Bayla, and Zain Mahmood against Doc Boleros at 3pm in the MOA Arena.

Late addition Ateneo is slated to face Batang Tiaong at 130pm.

Complete Super 24 schedule can be seen below.

Also scheduled to take place on Wednesday, but at the Pretty Huge facility in Taguig, is the Girls Have Next tournament, the inaugural girls grassroots tournament played under the NBTC auspices.

The SMART-NBTC National Finals is powered by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten, and 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.

Batangas City Embassy Chill set for upcoming MPBL season

After reaching the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's Southern Division Finals last season, the Batangas City Embassy Chill is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to return to past glory.

Head coach Cholo Villanueva shares, "We start from the ground up. It’s back to zero. It doesn’t mean that because we were in the division finals last year, we’re guaranteed to be in it again this year."

Villanueva wants to see some more composure from the squad down the stretch, especially when it has a large lead at its disposal. He shares, "Knowing how to execute and finish the game strong are things we need to improve on this year."

In addition, the La Salle alumnus is hoping for the team to set a quicker pace while at the same still maintaining its defensive identity, especially against bigger opponents.

Roster-wise, Batangas City retains its core of Rudy Lingganay, Jeckster Apinan, Cedrick Ablaza, John Rey Villanueva, and King Importante, while making three signings.

Team manager Jean Alabanza says, "After last year’s performance, we assessed the needs of the team. We added another guard  CJ Isit, who can help with our guard rotation. We also added two versatile for-wards, Oneal Arum and Raffy Oktubre. Overall, we should be better than last year with these additions. They can also help us achieve what Coach Cholo wants to develop, that is playing at our own pace."

Villanueva adds, “Last year, we were number two in our division. We want to be number one this year, so we can’t give games away. If we have a chance to win every game, we’ll make sure to win it.”

Batangas City will kickstart its season on March 14 against Pasay at its home court, the Batangas City Coliseum.

Squires take Game 1

Game Thursday at the San Andres Sports Complex
2:30 p.m. – La Salle-Greenhills vs Letran

Letran moved closer to ending a 22-year title drought on Monday afternoon, emerging as 85-81 winners over La Salle-Greenhills in Game 1 of the NCAA Season 98 High School basketball finals at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.

The Squires rode on their sustained runs that allowed them to not only overcome a double-digit deficit, but also breaking the game open late.

After a Luis Pablo bucket to give the Greenies the lead at 72-70 with 7:11 left, Letran went on a 15-4 run to establish a 85-76 lead, capped off by a June Silorio triple with 2:42 left.

The Squires also caught fire from deep when it mattered the most. After missing their first seventeen triples, they went 4/7 from beyond the arc in the final period. In contrast, LSGH would go 2/8 in the second half after converting 6/17 in the first.

Silorio would finish with a career-high 27 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Freshly-minted NBTC All-Star Andy Gemao contributed 21 points, fourteen rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while George Diamante served up a gem with a twelve points and seventeen boards alongside four rejections and five dimes.

Pablo ended up with a near 20-20 performance, falling short by a rebound. Seven Gagate bucked foul trouble to net twelve points and thirteen rebounds, while adding three assists and a couple of steals. Aside from the Greenies' two NBTC All-Stars, Rod Alian rode on a hot start to finish with fourteen points and seven rebounds.

Speaking with the panel of Andrei Felix and Andrei Caracut, head coach Allen Ricardo notes that there is still unfinished business. When asked about what lies ahead for Game 2, he shares, "Just stay composed. Iyon ang pinaka-importante.  Yung championship series, na-experience nila ang Game 1, then after ng viewing, mare-realize nila what went wrong, what went right, what went good.  Going to Game 2, just stay composed, that's it."

Game 2 is scheduled on Thursday at the same venue, with LIVE broadcast on GTV as well as streaming on the league's social media platforms. A win for the Squires would secure their first title since 2001.

The scores:
Letran (85) -- Silorio 27, Gemao 21, Diamante 12, Manalili 9, Alforque 4, Anabo 4, Baliling 3, Hugo 2, Navarro 2, Cruz 1.

LSGH (81) -- Pablo 22, Alian 14, Gagate 12, Ison 10, Mesias 10, Rivero 6, Gomez 5, Romero 2, Zaragosa 0.

Quarterscores: 17-22, 41-44, 65-64, 85-81

Letran, La Salle-Greenhills set for finals showdown

Game today at the San Andres Sports Complex
2:30 p.m. – Letran vs La Salle-Greenhills

Letran and La Salle-Greenhills are set to kick off their best-of-three series to determine the best high school team in the NCAA Season 98 High School basketball tournament at the San Andres Sports Complex.

Both teams are seeking to end their title droughts. The Squires are hoping to end a 22-year winless stretch, while the Greenies, last won theirs in 2017.

Letran dispatched Mapua-Malayan to earn their spot, whilst La Salle-Greenhills had to survive playing three games against San Beda to secure the other spot.

Although the Squires won their only meeting in the eliminations, 79-73 back in February, things are clearly different with the stakes much higher.

NBTC All-Stars Andy Gemao and Jonathan Manalili will get to face off against fellow All-Stars Seven Gagate and Luis Pablo, with both sides having reliable supporting casts. June Silorio, George Diamante, Emman Anabo, and Joyel Baliling are on one side, and CJ Mesias, Rod Alian, James Ison, and Santi Romero on the other.

The series will be broadcast LIVE on GTV, with simultaneous streaming available through the league's social media platforms.

Reinhard Jumamoy commits to National University

Reinhard Jumamoy and Jeff Napa

 

Reinhard Jumamoy will be staying home for college, as he made official his commitment to National University on Saturday.

The NU Nazareth School standout shares in making the commitment, "NU po ang nagbigay ng pagkakataon sa akin, kaya sa NU ko po gusto magpatuloy maglaro. Tiwala po ako sa kanilang dadalhin pa rin nila ako sa tama,"

In his only season with the Bullpups, he averaged 18.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.8 steals, while leading them to the Final Four of the UAAP Season 85 HS Boys Basketball tournament. His on-court exploits, which included three triple-doubles, put him third in the NBTC 24 rankings.

The 5-foot-11 point guard will boost a backcourt that already has Jake Figueroa, Kean Baclaan, and Steve Nash Enriquez, as well as fellow incoming guard LA Casinillo.

Jeff Napa says about Reinhard's commitment, "We are very happy and thankful kay Reinhard and sa family niya for choosing to stay sa NU program. Malaking bagay yung ganito para sa NU, kasi ito yung pagpapatuloy namin sa kagustuhan naming maging isa sa "big boys.""

The 19-year-old Cebuano is set to lead the Bullpups into the upcoming 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals, which will start this week at the Mall of Asia Arena. He also is set to participate in the 2023 Under Armour NBTC All-Star Game on Sunday, representing Team Hustle on March 19.

San Beda, La Salle-Greenhills set for decider

Game today at the San Andres Sports Complex
2:30 p.m. – La Salle-Greenhills vs San Beda

The remaining available finals berth for the NCAA Season 98 HS Basketball Tournament will be decided this afternoon at the San Andres Sports Complex, as La Salle-Greenhills and San Beda fight for the right to face Letran in the title game.

The Greenies forced the do-or-die duel after a 92-79 victory over the Red Cubs this past Monday.

Head coach Ren-Ren Ritualo credited the boys for their performance. He shares, "They never quit. I'm very proud of them. But I keep on telling them it's not yet over."

LSGH will once again ride on Seven Gagate and Luis Pablo in this one, with the former outscoring San Beda by himself in the third period, 15-10.

Hoping for a bounce back performance for the Red Cubs are the duo of Chris Hubilla and John Lopez, who combined for sixty points in the defeat, their first after surviving the gauntlet to determine the postseason seeding.

NBTC awards UAAP, NCAA slots

NBTC

The NBTC Competition Committee has made their decision regarding the two berths designated to the UAAP and the NCAA.

With the leagues still having their finals scheduled so close to the 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals presented by SM, which has been scheduled to take place from March 15-19, organizers have decided that the losing semifinalists from both leagues will be awarded the spots.

Two spots have already been locked in after the University of Santo Tomas and Mapua-Malayan lost their respective semifinal matches in the last couple of days.

The remaining two spots are yet to be decided, as both La Salle-Greenhills and NU Nazareth School forced do-or-die matches against San Beda and Far Eastern University, respectively.

NBTC Program Director Eric Altamirano shares, "We are pumped to have teams from the UAAP and NCAA be part of this year's National Finals. We're confident that with what we've seen in their mother leagues, they can only raise the level of competition as they have done in the past editions of the NBTC."

These four teams are slated to face either PCU-Cavite, Batang Tiaong (Quezon), Team Tarlac, and Royal Star Trading Don Bosco (Dumaguete), as a result of the seeding draw a week ago to determine the Super 24 matchups that is to be played on March 15.

The Super 24 winners will be designated into Division 1, whilst the rest will be in Division 2. The twelve teams in each division will be sorted into four division of three, with round robin matches slated for March 16 and 17. The top team of each group advances into the semifinals on March 18.

The championship of both division will take place on March 19, alongside the final of the inaugural Girls Have Next tournament presented by Fil-Nation Select, as well as the Under Armour-NBTC All-Star Game and its accompanying side events.

Games will be streamed online through the Facebook pages of the NBTC, SMART Sports, and Puso Pilipinas.

The 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals is presented by Smart, SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten, and is sponsored by Tecno, Regent, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App, Victory Liner, Darlington, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Bahay leads NBTC 24

NBTC 24

The NBTC 24 has been released after a three-year hiatus, with a Jared Bahay becoming the first player outside of the UAAP and NCAA to be named as its top-ranked player.

The Gilas Youth standout from Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu has been named as the best player under the age of nineteen in the country, joining the likes of Encho Serrano, Kai Sotto (who did it in consecutive years), and Rhayyan Amsali, and doing so as the first one that is not from either the UAAP or the NCAA.

Bahay's achievements centered on his feats in both the FIBA-Asia U-16 and Under-18 Championships, as well as in the 22nd season of the CESAFI tournament, where he was named as the Most Valuable Player in helping the Magis Eagles clinch the title.

He and Raffy Celis are the only players outside of the UAAP and NCAA to make the list, with thirteen coming from the former and nine from the latter.

La Salle-Greenhills forward Luis Pablo was ranked second, with his teammate Seven Gagate fifth. Completing the top five are a couple of do-everything ballhandlers in Rein Jumamoy of NU Nazareth in third and Andy Gemao of Letran in fourth.

The players named in the NBTC 24 will be split into two teams that would comprise the initial group of All-Stars for the 2023 Under Armour All-Star Game scheduled on March 19 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Team Hustle, to be coached by Cholo Villanueva, is backstopped by Pablo, Jumamoy, and Gemao. Joining the three are two top-ten players in Ateneo's Kris Porter and Adamson's Peter Rosillo. Comprising the rest of the squad are Amiel Acido of Perpetual, Janrey Pasaol of FEU, Kobe Demisana of UPIS, SJ Moore of Arellano, Kieffer Alas of La Salle-Zobel, Andrei Dungo of San Beda, and Celis.

Team Heart, to be coached by Willie Wilson, is backstopped by Bahay and Gagate. Joining the duo are three top-ten players in Rhyle Melencio of La Salle-Zobel, Matthew Rubico of Lyceum, and Chris Hubilla of San Beda. Comprising the rest of the squad are Lebron Nieto of Ateneo, Jonathan Manalili of Letran, RJ Colonia of NU Nazareth, Mark Llemit of UST, Veejay Pre of FEU, Mat Edding of Adamson, and Jonas Napalang of UPIS.

Both teams will be supplemented by select outstanding players from the National Finals.

Aside from the All-Star Game, it will also have its accompanying side events: the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Shootout, and the Skills Challenge. The day will also culminate with the championship matches for the inaugrual Girls Have Next presented by Fil-Nation Select, as well as the Division 1 and 2 of the National Finals.

The 2023 NBTC 24 rankings are as follows, with their corresponding team in parenthesis:

1) Jared Bahay - CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo (Heart)
2) Luis Pablo - NCAA/LSGH (Hustle)
3) Rein Jumamoy - UAAP/NSNU (Hustle)
4) Andy Gemao - NCAA/Letran (Hustle)
5) Seven Gagate - NCAA/LSGH (Heart)
6) Kristian Porter - UAAP/Ateneo (Hustle)
7) Rhyle Melencio - UAAP/DLSZ (Heart)
8) Matthew Rubico - NCAA/LPU (Heart)
9) Peter Rosillo - UAAP/Adamson (Hustle)
10) Chris Hubilla - NCAA/San Beda (Heart)
11) Amiel Acido - NCAA/Perpetual (Hustle)
12) Lebron Nieto - UAAP/Ateneo (Heart)
13) Janrey Pasaol - UAAP/FEU-D (Hustle)
14) Kobe Demisana - UAAP/UPIS (Hustle)
15) SJ Moore - NCAA/Arellano (Hustle)
16) Jonathan Manalili - NCAA/Letran (Heart)
17) RJ Colonia - UAAP/NSNU (Heart)
18) Kieffer Alas - UAAP/DLSZ (Hustle)
19) Mark Llemit - UAAP/UST (Heart)
20) Andrei Dungo - NCAA/San Beda (Hustle)
21) Raffy Celis - CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo (Hustle)
22) Veejay Pre - UAAP/FEU-D (Heart)
23) Mat Edding - UAAP/Adamson (Heart)
24) Jonas Napalang - UAAP/UPIS (Heart)

The 2023 SMART-NBTC National Finals is presented by SM, Strong Realty and Development Corp., Under Armour, and Molten, and is sponsored by Tecno, Regent, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, MNL Kingpin, Gatorade, Swish App, Victory Liner, Darlington, Coach E Basketball School, Lighthouse Events, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas

Select games will be streamed on Facebook on NBTC, Smart Sports, and Puso Pilipinas pages.

Galaxy Watch5 to offer BP and ECG monitoring

Galaxy Watch5

Given recent incidents at sporting events that involve emergency medical attention, it just got more essential to have ready made features that can better detect our health state.

Samsung has already made headway into this through their latest update on their Galaxy Watch5 Series, which now includes mechanisms to monitor your blood pressure and heart rate via the BioActive sensor.

Available through the Watch5 as well as the Watch5 Pro, one will be able to monitor your blood pressure through the Samsung Health Monitor, which one would need to install onto their Samsung Galaxy smartphone and then connect it and calibrate onto your Galaxy Watch. Once calibrated, it can make measurements anywhere with the device.

The device will be able to make reads through pulse wave analysis, made possible through Heart Rate Monitoring sensors. These would record the relationship between the calibration value and blood pressure changes. The readings would then be made available for users, and can even be exported into a PDF.

Users also would be able to get an electrocardiogram reading as well with their Galaxy Watch, as the device has a sensor that can record the heart's electrical activity. Reading is as simple as opening the Samsung Health Monitor app once one is seated comfortably and the Galaxy Watch is fitted firmly on one's wrist. The user can then have his forearm rested onto a flat surface, followed by lightly placing a fingertip from the opposite hand onto the top button on the device for thirty seconds.

Data would then be produce out of one's heart rate and rhythm, which would then be displayed as either a Sinus Rhythm if normal or AFib if there is a irregular heartbeat. This information can be converted into a PDF as well.

Aside from these two features, the update on the Galaxy Watch5 series includes improved sleep tracking technology. Users are now able to not just play one's bedtime, but it can also detect snoring, track and understand one's sleep stages. It can also produce nightly sleep reports.

Fitness enthusiasts would relish the Watch5 Series' ability to count steps, calories, and even one's fitness routines. That last feature includes supporting over ninety exercises that can be tracked from the watch. The Watch5 Pro has the added feature of GPS route tracking, which cyclists and hikers would appreciate.

Aside from all of these, the Galaxy Watch5 Series is the most durable and powerful compared to its predecessors. A 15% bigger battery provides room for 20% faster charging, taking it more or less about thirty minutes to go from 0% to 45% charge. The Pro version takes it a step further by having the biggest battery capacity in the series, able to last a full day even with continuous GPS use and eighty hours on standby. Premium Sapphire crystal allows the watch to take some hard knocks, and a splash won't do any harm with its water resistance. Also, the Watch Pro comes with a titanium body case.

Style will not be a problem for those who love wearing the Watch5 Series. A variety of watch faces is available to tailor whatever look one wants with their watch, whether analog or digital, vintage or modern. The 40mm version comes in either Composite Gray, Iconic Gold and Silver, with straps in either Gray, Pink Gold, or Lavender. The 44mm version comes in either Composite Gray, Navy Blue and Silver, with straps in either Gray, New Blue, and White. As for the Galaxy Watch5 Pro, it either comes in Black Titanium or Gray Titanium, both of which can fit with any kind of outdoor ensemble.

The 40mm version of the Galaxy Watch5 is already available locally at the price of PhP 16,990, with the Galaxy Watch5 Pro coming in at PhP 26,990. A 30% discount from either device is available if one purchases a Galaxy S23 Series smartphone.

For more details, one can check out https://www.samsung.com/ph/watches/galaxy-watch/.

CSB vs Mapua, Lyceum vs EAC in NCAA volleyball

Games today at the San Andres Sports Complex
9 a.m. – Lyceum vs EAC (Men)
12 noon – Lyceum vs EAC (Women)
2 p.m. – CSB vs Mapua (Women)  
4:30 p.m. – CSB vs Mapua (Men)

The College of Saint Benilde hopes to extend their winning streak in women's volleyball when they face off against Mapua Tuesday afternoon at the San Andres Sports Complex.

The Lady Blazers extended their run to sixteen straight matches this past Saturday, but that was tested against a game Lyceum side, as they needed the full five sets to dispatch the Lady Pirates, 22-25 25-16 16-25 25-13.

Helping engineer the comeback in that matchup are Cloanne Mondoñedo, Jessa Dorog, and Gayle Pascual. Pascual, who was crowned as last season's Finals MVP, is currently fourth in the league in total scoring as she and the rest of the team tries to make up for the absence of last season's MVP in Mycah Go.

Speaking of five sets, the Lady Cardinals have survived their last three meetings that have lasted the full route, as they tote a 4-1 overall record, tied for second-best alongside the University of Perpetual Help Dalta.

This includes their 21-25 19-25 25-23 25-21 15-11 win over Arellano on Saturday, anchored by the efforts of Roxie dela Cruz and Hannah de Guzman.

In the other women's volleyball matchup, Lyceum seeks to bounce back from their defeat by facing Emilio Aguinaldo College at noon.