The 2023 NBTC National Finals was a basketball competition in the Philippines hosted by the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) to determine the champion for the 2022–2023 NBTC League season. It involved 24 high school teams, with 12 regional teams, four representatives from the UAAP Jrs. and NCAA Jrs. , and eight global squads. The finals made its return after three years. It began on March 15, 2023, and ended on March 23. Also taking place during this time was the NBTC All-Star Game and several other side events.
2023 NBTC National Finals Venue(s) SM Mall of Asia Dates March 15–23 Teams 24 Champions
Division 1: NUNS Bullpups (4th title)
Division 2: Team Tarlac (1st title) Runner-up
Division 1: Fil-Nation Select-USA
Division 2: Don Bosco Dumaguete Most Outstanding Player
Division 1: Reinhard Jumamoy (NUNS )
Division 2: Earl Sapasap (Team Tarlac) Finals MOP
Division 1: Reinhard Jumamoy (NUNS )
Division 2: Earl Sapasap (Team Tarlac) Best Defensive Player
← 2019 NBTC National Finals
The NUNS Bullpups won Division 1 for the third straight year, while Team Tarlac won Division 2.
This year's format involved high school teams and clubs going through local qualifiers tournaments (LQT). For this season, 144 teams participated in the LQTs.[ 1] UAAP Jrs. and NCAA Jrs. tournaments are used as qualifiers. Semifinalists would get to play in the NBTC finals, as the UAAP and NCAA finals happened on the same week.[ 2]
Unlike past seasons, this edition of the NBTC Finals was open to club teams. All players must be born after January 1, 2004, and must have Filipino lineage.[ 1]
For the first time, the NBTC Global Games were used to determine which international teams would qualify for the finals. These were held in Canada, USA, Italy (hosting for the European region), Australia, New Zealand, and Dubai from July to November.[ 3]
San Beda was replaced by Ateneo as San Beda begged off.[ 6]
All teams played in the Super 24 round. This determined the divisions they would play in, with winners playing in Division 1, while losers playing in Division 2. Each division will then be placed into four groups of three and play a round-robin (also known as the Magic 12). Top teams then advance to the semis and then the Division 1 and 2 championships. At the end of the tournament, a player would receive the Most Outstanding Player award, which for the first time was named after former NBTC tournament commissioner Ato Badolato .[ 6]
[ 8] [ 9]
15 March 2023
SHS – Ateneo de Cebu
99–54
Rome Elite Italy
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
UST
66–62
Team Tarlac
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Winnipeg
86–72
Team United USA
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Toronto
83–63
SBIS
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Fil-Am Nation Select
116–60
Doc Boleros
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
NUNS
93–68
PCU - Dasmariñas
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Batang Tiaong
64–41
Ateneo
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Pinoy Mavs
83–79
Holy Trinity
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Team Abro
111–74
U of Luzon
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Dubai Patriots
66–65
U of Batangas
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Mapua
92–85
Don Bosco- Dumaguete
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
Pampanga Delta
84–81
Homegrown Australia
Mall of Asia Arena , Pasay
[ 10] [ 11]
[ 10] [ 11]
Team
Pld
W
L
UST
3
2
0
Toronto
3
1
1
Dubai Patriots
3
0
2
March 16, 2023
Toronto
70–63
Dubai Patriots
UST
77–47
Dubai Patriots
2 August 2013
UST
66–65
Toronto
[ 10] [ 11]
[ 10] [ 11]
Team
Pld
W
L
Fil-Nation Select
3
2
0
Batang Tiaong
3
1
1
Pinoy Mavs
3
0
2
March 16, 2023
Batang Tiaong
67–53
Pinoy Mavs
Fil-Nation Select
93–61
Pinoy Mavs
2 August 2013
Batang Tiaong
79–91
Fil-Nation Select
[ 10] [ 11]
Team
Pld
W
L
Homegrown Australia
3
2
0
PCU - Dasmariñas
3
1
1
U of Luzon
3
0
2
March 16, 2023
Homegrown Australia
96–75
U of Luzon
PCU - Dasmariñas
104–71
U of Luzon
March 17, 2023
Homegrown Australia
75–72
PCU - Dasmariñas
[ 10] [ 11]
[ 10] [ 11]
Team
Pld
W
L
Don Bosco
3
2
0
Team United
3
1
1
Rome Elite
3
0
2
March 16, 2023
Don Bosco
98–91
Team United
Rome Elite
53–85
Team United
March 17, 2023
Don Bosco
95–58
Rome Elite
[ 10] [ 11]
Team
Pld
W
L
Ateneo
3
2
0
Doc Boleros
3
1
1
Holy Trinity
3
0
2
March 16, 2023
Doc Boleros
66–61
Holy Trinity
Ateneo
77–58
Holy Trinity
March 17, 2023
Ateneo
74–65
Doc Boleros
NBTC Facebook page & Smart Sports
Fil-Nation Select 64, NUNS 75
Pts :Pts: RJ Colonia 23
Semifinals
Finals
1
Team Tarlac
86
4
Ateneo
77
Team Tarlac
86
Don Bosco
84
3
Don Bosco
82
2
Homegrown Australia
58
NBTC Facebook page & Smart Sports
Team Tarlac 86 , Don Bosco 84
Pts :Pts: MJ Hendric Vailoces
The National Basketball Training Center selected and ranked 24 of the best high school prospects in the NCAA and UAAP juniors, and CESAFI high school tournament.[ 12] [ 13] Jared Bahay became the first non-UAAP and non-NCAA player to be ranked #1. He and Luis Pablo (ranked #2) led Team Heart and Team Hustle, respectively.[ 13]
2024 NBTC All-Stars
Rank
Player
League
Team
#1
Jared Bahay
CESAFI
SHS – Ateneo
#2
Luis Pablo
NCAA
LSGH
#3
Reinhard Jumamoy
UAAP
NUNS
#4
Andy Gemao
NCAA
Letran
#5
Seven Gagate
NCAA
LSGH
#6
Kristian Porter
UAAP
Ateneo
#7
Rhyle Melencio
UAAP
DLSZ
#8
Matthew Rubico
NCAA
LPU
#9
Peter Rosillo
UAAP
Adamson
#10
Chris Hubilla
NCAA
San Beda
#11
Amiel Acido
NCAA
Perpetual
#12
Lebron Nieto
UAAP
Ateneo
#13
Janrey Pasaol
UAAP
FEU
#14
Kobe Demisana
UAAP
UPIS
#15
SJ Moore
NCAA
Arellano
#16
Jonathan Manalili
NCAA
Letran
#17
RJ Colonia
UAAP
NUNS
#18
Kieffer Alas
UAAP
DLSZ
#19
Mark Llemit
UAAP
UST
#20
Andrei Dungo
NCAA
San Beda
#21
Raffy Celis
CESAFI
SHS – Ateneo
#22
Veejay Pre
UAAP
FEU
#23
Mat Edding
UAAP
FEU
#24
Jonas Napalang
UAAP
FEU
Additions
Name
Team
Lorence dela Cruz
Winnipeg
Caelum Harris
Fil-Nation Select
John Morales
Batang Tiaong
Michael Asoro
SHS – Ateneo
Jacob Bayla
Fil-Nation Select
Jason Mandaquit
Fil-Nation Select
Vhoris Marasigan
Batang Tiaong
NBTC Facebook page & Smart Sports
[ 14]
Skills challenge: Kristian Porter
Three-Point Shootout: John Rex Villanueva
Slam Dunk Contest: Lorence dela Cruz
[ 15] [ 16] [ 17]
Ato Badolato Most Outstanding Player: Reinhard Jumamoy (NUNS )
Finals Most Outstanding Player: Reinhard Jumamoy (NUNS )
Best Defensive Player: Eian Lowe (Fil-Am Nation Select)
Mythical Five: Ato Badolato Most Outstanding Player: Earl Sapasap (Team Tarlac)
Finals Most Outstanding Player: Earl Sapasap (Team Tarlac)
Mythical Five:
Division 2 Mythical Five
Name
Team
Earl Sapasap
Team Tarlac
Matthew Jucom
Don Bosco
Lebron Nieto
Ateneo Blue Eaglets
Kaden Pulutua
Homegrown Australia Crusaders
Sean Bondoc
Doc Boleros NCR
^ San Beda was replaced by Ateneo as San Beda begged off
^ a b Times, Tiebreaker (August 4, 2022). "Lead up to NBTC National Championship underway" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved August 3, 2024 . ^ Times, Tiebreaker (March 9, 2023). "UST, Mapua qualify for SMART-NBTC National Finals" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved August 3, 2024 . ^ "6 countries vying in 2023 SM NBTC Global Games" . Tempo - The Nation's Fastest Growing Newspaper . November 14, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2024 .^ "12 provincial teams book tickets to 24-squad 2023 NBTC National Finals" . Philstar.com . February 25, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2024 .^ Sports, U. B. "March 14, 2023" . Brahman Sports . Retrieved August 3, 2024 . ^ a b c Times, Tiebreaker (March 11, 2023). "Ateneo in NBTC Nationals as San Beda begs off" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved August 3, 2024 . ^ "24 teams make up NBTC National Finals" . malaya.com.ph . March 2, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2024 .^ Times, Tiebreaker (March 15, 2023). "SMART NBTC: Sacred Heart, UST, Canadian teams advance to Div 1" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved August 12, 2024 . ^ Times, Tiebreaker (March 15, 2023). "SMART NBTC: Bayla, Mandaquit power Fil-Nation's 56-point rout vs Doc Boleros" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved August 12, 2024 . ^ a b c d e f g h Times, Tiebreaker (March 16, 2023). "SMART NBTC: Jumamoy's NUNS meet Melencio's Pampanga for semis slot" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved August 17, 2024 . ^ a b c d e f g h Fuertes Jr, Rommel (March 17, 2023). "NBTC: Ateneo rebounds from loss, advances to Division 2's Fearless Four" . INQUIRER.net . Retrieved August 24, 2024 . ^ "NBTC returns after three years" . GMA News Online . February 16, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024 .^ a b Panerio, Jonas N. (March 7, 2023). "Cebu's Jared Bahay named best high school player in NBTC 24" . SunStar Publishing Inc . Retrieved September 5, 2024 . ^ Terrado, Reuben (March 19, 2023). "SJ Moore lifts Team Hustle over Team Heart in NBTC All-Star Game" . Spin.ph . Retrieved September 5, 2024 . ^ Times, Tiebreaker (March 19, 2023). "Smart NBTC: NUNS stuns Fil-Nation, secures three-peat" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved September 14, 2024 . ^ "Team Tarlac comes from behind to beat Don Bosco in NBTC Division II finals" . Spin.ph . Retrieved September 14, 2024 .^ Cruz, Zachi (March 20, 2023). "Reinhard Jumamoy leaves NUNS a champion -- and with a triple-double" . Tiebreaker Times . Retrieved September 14, 2024 .
