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| Eric Altamirano and Alex Compton with the NBTC's partners for this year |
Cabs Cabonilas of Far Eastern University-Diliman stands tall as the new No. 1 player in the annual rankings of the Philippines' top under-19 players by the National Basketball Training Center.
The UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball MVP jumped two spots from his ranking of third in last year's NBTC 24, just behind Ateneo-commit Kieffer Alas and now-La Salle player Lebron Daep.
This time around, Cabonilas left no doubt in staking his claim for the top spot, averaging 15.79 points, 8.86 rebounds, and 3.79 assists, all while leading the Baby Tamaraws back to the finals.
Coming up right behind FEU-D's do-it-all forward is Maco Dabao of De La Salle Zobel, who turned in a breakout season all the way to finishing as MVP runner-up.
The Jr. Archers' lead guard normed 17.29 points, 5.93 rebounds, 2.21 assists, and 2.5 steals to propel his side to its first Final Four since 2017.
As No. 1 and 2, Cabonilas and Dabao will serve as captains for the All-Star Game in the 2026 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Supermalls on Saturday, March 28, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Cabonilas will be joined in Team Heart by another Baby Tam in Marc Burgos, as well as fellow UAAP standouts Jay-M Leal (Ateneo), Kirk Cañete (UST), and Bruce Tubongbanua (UPIS).
“Sobrang nakaka-excite po kasi anlaki ng tinaas ko sa rankings. Ngayon, kagaya na po ako ng mga nauna sa'kin tulad nina Jared Bahay at Kieffer Alas,” he said.
Rounding out his roster drafted in the preseason press conference held last Monday at Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Parqal are NCAA guards Mark Esperanza (San Sebastian), Justin Cargo (Letran), and Ray Ladica (Arellano); Regional Championship (RC) Most Outstanding Players Jhon Lord Cruz (North Luzon), Duke Solon (Mindanao), and Zedrick Castillo (South Luzon); and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo's Lian Basa.
Meeting them at the opposite side of the court will be Team Hustle fronted by Dabao alongside other UAAP stars in Mot Matias and Shaun Lucido (NU), Jarl Artango (Adamson), and Noah Banal (Ateneo).
Further fortifying his lineup from the NCAA are Season 101 juniors basketball MVP Sean Franco (Arellano), Nathan Egea (Letran), Andrei Ugaddan (San Beda), Josef Calo-oy (LSGH), and Kelly Coronel (EAC); as well as Henry Suico from SHS-Ateneo and J Lord Pepito from the Visayas RC.
“It just feels great to have this opportunity. It just feels great to put La Salle Zobel back in here,” said the playmaker from DLSZ, who inherits the same All-Star team as his Jr. Archers teammate in Alas.
Last year, a game-winning three from Ian Cuajao, now with San Beda, shot Team Heart over Team Hustle.
And like always, breakout players from international and local teams during the National Finals will also be added to the lineups of Team Heart and Team Hustle, which have been in place for the All-Star Game of the Philippine national under-19 championship since 2019.
Together with the annual exhibition of young talent at the highest level, there will yet again be an All-Star Game from the Manila Live girls tournament, as well as the Manila Showcase, pitting the top players from Manila Live against other standouts of the National Finals.
Here’s the final NBTC 24 for 2026:
1) Cabs Cabonilas, UAAP/FEU-Diliman
2) Maco Dabao, UAAP/DLSZ
3) Mark Esperanza, NCAA/San Sebastian
4) Sean Franco, NCAA/Arellano
5) Mot Matias, UAAP/NUNS
6) Nathan Egea, NCAA/Letran
7) Henry Suico, CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo
8) Kirk Cañete, UAAP/UST
9) Shaun Lucido, UAAP/NUNS
10) Noah Banal, UAAP/Ateneo
11) Ray Ladica, NCAA/Arellano
12) Andrei Ugaddan, NCAA/San Beda
13) Jay-M Leal, UAAP/Ateneo
14) Lian Basa, CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo
15) Marc Burgos, UAAP/FEU-Diliman
16) Justin Cargo, NCAA/Letran
17) Jarl Artango, UAAP/Adamson
18) Josef Calo-Oy, NCAA/LSGH
19) Jhon Lord Cruz, North Luzon RC/Nueva Ecija D’Generals
20) Bruce Tubongbanua, UAAP/UPIS
21) Kelly Coronel, NCAA/EAC
22) J Lord Pepito, Visayas RC/USPF-Playtown Exclusive
23) Duke Solon, Mindanao RC/RSY Group of Companies
24) Zedrick Castillo, South Luzon RC/AG Sports Apparel
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