CESAFI products Beirn Laurente and Joshua Yerro of the University of the Visayas together with SHS-Ateneo de Cebu’s Alex Visser will be playing in the 2018 NBTC National High School All Star Game on March 23 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
After two months of stringent deliberation done every week, the final standings saw Laurente, the reigning Cesafi juniors Most Valuable Player, finish in the 17th spot while Yerro, the recently crowned CVIRAA MVP, ranked 21st.
The duo were key cogs for the Baby Lancers squad that put an end to the seven-year NBTC Cebu reign of Ateneo de Cebu. UV will be playing in the national finals on March 18 as the fourth seed.
Ateneo de Cebu, which finished as the runner-up in the NBTC Cebu, will be playing as the eighth seed.
Visser, the Fil-Dutch big man who helps hold down the middle for the one-time NBTC national champions, was ranked 24th.
The NBTC Chooks-to-Go 24 is the first-ever attempt to rank the top high school prospects from all over the Philippines today.
The weekly ranking compiled league stats, impact in team, team record, leadership, defense, offense, and level of competition.
At the top of the list is UAAP Season 80 Juniors Finals MVP Kai Sotto. The 7-foot-2 center, who is considered to be top high school big man in the country today is part of the 23 for 2023 Gilas cadets and helped steer Ateneo de Manila High School to the UAAP Season 80 championship.
Ranking second is Joel Cagulangan of La Salle Greenhills. Sotto’s teammate SJ Belangel came in at third and is the consensus top senior in the country.
NCAA Season 93 MVP Will Gozum of Mapua University and UAAP MVP CJ Cansino of University of Sto. Tomas, both graduating players as well, completed the top five.