Biggest SM-NBTC league

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr

I FAILED to attend the opening ceremony of the SM-NBTC (National Basketball Training Center) tourney last year, but I managed to watch this year’s at the DWAD gym last October 22. It was the most colorful opening of the eleven-year-old cage league for high school students. There was a lot of fanfare, among them the hip-hop competition won by La Marea Academy and the selection of Miss SM-NBTC 2019 among the muses of the participating teams (won by 12-year-old, five-foot-five Aldrea Nice Cruz of Wonderland School).

Unlike the previous years, the participation in this year’s tourney swelled to 18 well-known institutions in Dagupan City and adjacent towns spearheaded by defending champion Pangasinan Merchant Marine Academy, the dreaded teams of Lyceum Northwestern University and University of Luzon, the host Divine Word Academy, Wonderland School, St. Michael School By The Sea, Mangaldan National High School, La Marea Academy, St. John’s Cathedral School, Bonuan Boquig National High School, Genesis School of Happy Kids, Salapingao National High School, JCCMI Christian Academy, Inc., Judge Jose de Venecia Sr. Technical Vocational Secondary School, Colegio de Dagupan, Cherished Moments School, Prime Brillant Minds Academy and Dagupan City National High School. From outside Dagupan City, the league now has schools from Lingayen, Alaminos City, Bayambang-Malasiqui, Urdaneta City-Manaoag and San Fabian.  The champions of Pangasinan in six areas will do battle against Ilocos Sur’s two area winners Vigan and Candon cities and Laoag City of Ilocos Norte to be hosted by Pangasinan probably at the NRSCC gym in Lingayen on January-February.

NBTC North Luzon leader, Pangasinan’s well-known basketball organizer Dr. Edilberto R. Abalos heads the SM-NBTC Pangasinan, and is assisted by Dagupan City Sports Commission coordinator Ronald Padilla, tournament commissioner Jethru Yao and the tourney’s therapist Emilio Zabala. Abalos explained the rules of the competition to all the participating teams, particularly the rule that only high school students (up to grade 12) currently enrolled and born on or after January 1, 2001 (with PSA certified birth certificate including a notarized parental/guardian consent or waiver) can be qualified to be a member of the school team.

I’ve known NBTC since its birth. It is a well-known basketball group in the country for its grassroots program for young cagers, duly recognized by the national basketball governing body Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). Abalos underscored the objective of NBTC which is to identify, prepare and develop young male student-athletes and to create learning environment opportunities to enhance both their individual and team skills. He said he hopes to see them develop and move on to play in more competitions (national college tourneys or even PBA).  Abalos also pointed out to the students the other goal of the league: to promote the values of leadership, commitment to excellence, right attitude and discipline and the holistic development among the young students through the sport.

He said the regional winner will meet the best teams in Luzon to be hosted by Manila early next year.

Yes, it will be a tough journey to win the Luzon campaign, but if successful our contingent will play against the champions of Visayas and Mindanao for the national tiara that will most be held in March next year at Mall of Asia.

“The Pangasinan tourney this year is the biggest and may be even bigger next year,” Abalos said confidently. I agree. 

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.1 TIMOTHY 5: 23

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