Jared Bahay has a legitimate case for being called best high school baller in the Philippines.
High school standout Jared Bahay continues to make history, becoming the first guard to top the National Basketball Training Center 24 for two years in a row.
Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu’s playmaker held on to the No. 1 ranking he has owned since last year after leading his side’s successful title defense in CESAFI Season 23 juniors basketball.
He joins Ateneo High School’s Kai Sotto as the only players to rule over back-to-back in the final rankings of the most impressive under-19 talents in all of the Philippines.
In the process, Bahay bested De La Salle Zobel do-it-all wing Kieffer Alas and presumptive NCAA Season 99 Juniors MVP Amiel Acido of University of Perpetual Help who wound up No. 2 and 3, respectively.
The 18-year-old playmaker was the first-ever non-UAAP and non-NCAA player to top the NBTC 24, and retains that title as he spearheads a historic six-player contingent from the regions who’ll showcase their skills on March 23 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Fellow Magis Eagle Jelomar Rota (12) will also be present alongside Andre Lumanag (21, Toyomoto Auto Supply-Davao), Jevy Hinoguin (22, Yengskivel Sportswear-CAMANAVA), Renz Apor (23, Batang Tiaong-Quezon), and Peter John Peteros (24, Khalifa-Cebu) who stood out from the NBTC Regional Championships in Mindanao, North Luzon, South Luzon, and Visayas.
“This is further proof that grassroots basketball is alive and well in the Philippines, and hopefully, as NBTC continues to grow and get stronger, we get more and more promising prospects all over the country,” said NBTC program director Eric Altamirano.
Alas fronts a total of 10 representatives from the UAAP, including Doys Dungo (4, University of Santo Tomas), Tebol Garcia (5, Adamson High School), Vince Reyes (7, Adamson), Ports Porter (8, Ateneo), Veejay Pre (10, Far Eastern University-Diliman), John Alejandro (14, University of the East), Macmac Alfanta (16, National University-Nazareth School), Daryl Valdeavilla (19, University of the Philippines Integrated School), and Wacky Ludovice (20, UST).
The NCAA, meanwhile, counts nine players in the NBTC All-Star Game, with Acido flanked by Titing Manalili (6, Colegio de San Juan de Letran), George Diamante (9, Letran), Jhames Daep (11, Perpetual), EJ Castillo (13, Emilio Aguinaldo College), Lawrence Mangubat (15, Mapua High School), Mark Gojo Cruz (17, Perpetual), and Ruvic Danag (18, San Sebastian College-Recoletos).
Rising stars from international and regional teams during the tournament will also be added to the lineups of Team Heart and Team Hustle. Together with the annual exhibition of the best of the best young talents, the 2024 NBTC National Finals will also witness an All-Star Game from the Manila Live girls tournament, as well as the first-ever Manila Showcase, pitting the top players from Manila Live against the other standouts of the National Finals.
All games will be livestreamed on the NBTC and Smart Sports Facebook pages, and will be available on the Smart Livestream app, now free for all networks.
Here are the final 2024 NBTC 24 rankings:
1-Jared Bahay, CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo
2-Kieffer Alas, UAAP/DLSZ
3-Amiel Acido, NCAA/Perpetual
4-Doys Dungo, UAAP/UST
5-Tebol Garcia, UAAP/Adamson
6-Titing Manalili, NCAA/Letran
7-Vince Reyes, UAAP/Adamson
8-Ports Porter, UAAP/Ateneo
9-George Diamante, NCAA/Letran
10-Veejay Pre, UAAP/FEU-D
11-Jhames Daep, NCAA/Letran
12-Jelomar Rota, CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo
13-EJ Castillo, NCAA/EAC
14-John Alejandro, UAAP/UE
15-Lawrence Mangubat, NCAA/Mapua
16-Macmac Alfanta, UAAP/NUNS
17-Mark Gojo Cruz, NCAA/Perpetual
18-Ruvic Danag, NCAA/San Sebastian
19-Daryl Valdeavilla, UAAP/UPIS
20-Wacky Ludovice, UAAP/UST
21-Andre Lumanag, NBTC Mindanao Regionals/Toyomoto Auto Supply-Davao
22-Jevy Hinoguin, NBTC North Luzon Regionals/Yengskivel Sportswear-CAMANAVA
23-Renz Apor, NBTC South Luzon Regionals/Batang Tiaong-Quezon
24-Peter John Peteros, NBTC Visayas Regionals/Khalifa-Cebu
Banner image from NBTC
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