Picks for NBTC All-Star Game revealed

“Kai Sotto has been named Team Captain of Team Hustle and Joel Cagulangan as team Captain of Team Heart. Watch them next week as they pick their teammates for this coming NBTC All-Star Game!” (Photo: SM NBTC League/Facebook)

Team Hustle, which the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Sotto is a part of, will be led by Rain or Shine Elastopainters assistant coach Chris Gavina. In the lineup chosen by the 7-foot-2 star are: University of Santo Tomas (UST) guard Mark Nonoy, National University (NU) guard Gerry Abadiano, Ateneo de Manila University center Geo Chiu, and NU shooter Terrence Fortea. NU’s Kevin Quiambao, Far Eastern University-Diliman’s RJ Abbarientos, Jose Rizal University’s John Amores, Mapua University’s Jonnel Policarpio, Ateneo’s Forthsky Padrigao, UST’s Bismarck Lina, and Mapua’s Clint Escamis made the cut as well.

As team captain, Sotto is confident, telling his teammates in Filipino, “We will go to the NBTC All-Star Game and we will fight and win.”

As for Cagulangan, who was the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA’s) Season 94 Most Valuable Player, he chose Carl Tamayo from NU, Inand Fornilos and Joshua David of La Salle Greenhills, and Hope Christian Academy’s Harvy Pagsanjan. He will also be joined by Joem Sabandal of Adamson University, Aaron Fermin of Arellano University, Paolo Hernandez and Dan Aches of Mapua, Joshua Yerro of University of Visayas, Mac Guadana of Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Rafael Go of Chiang Kai Shek College to complete Team Heart. Charles Tiu is the head coach, but Cagulangan is also ready to lead his team, encouraging them, “We will play with heart at the NBTC All-Star Game.”

NBTC has been running for 12 years, gathering the best high school players from four different leagues. This year, for the first time in history, the NBTC chose two of the top-ranked young basketball stars not only to create their own NBTC roster but to choose their coaches as well.